When kids ask, as they often do, “Why do you write for young people?” they are just being curious: Why does an adult choose to be engaged with kids? Fair enough. But adults ask that question, too, and often embedded in their questions is the notion, “How come you don’t write for grown-ups, like real writers do?” In fact, an adult once asked me that question in just those words.
Today, when I was Skyping with a class from North Carolina, a girl said to me, ”I really like reading your books.”
“What is it you like about them?” I returned.
She said, “So, what I like about your books, and other kids’ books, is that I think of the authors as my friends. I mean, they know about me, the way you do, and you give me all these adventures, and I learn all these things. And I just, you know, like being with my friends that way.”
No adult would say such words to me. This girl, however, reminded me why I love writing for young people.
2 thoughts on “Why do I write for young people?”
Reading this put a smile on my face and reminded me why many of us work so hard to get good books into the hands of young readers.
What a great response from a reader!