Problem Books

Remember the weepin' and wailin' over The Rainbow Party, which I linked a while back?  Here's the Wall Street Journal on young adult fiction:  "This season, publishers are rolling out more volumes for teens that are full of heavy themes, from binge drinking to incest."

Usually these Journal articles are kept under lock and key, but today you can access them for free. Take advantage of the opportunity. And you can read Terry Teachout's drama review, too. (Thanks to Beatrice for the Journal reminder.)

Last week at Slate, Ann Hulbert examined the YA scene, too. Her daughter is reading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books, but Hulbert also lets it drop just how much the eighth-grader enjoyed The Odyssey. (Oh, bleck... on the credentializing,  not The Odyssey!)