Hey Stacer

[House of Mustard]

So, the other day I was talking to another LDS author on another internet forum, and I referred to her books as YA.  She got really annoyed and told me that they weren't YA, they were middle-grade fiction, and it makes her really mad when people don't differentiate.

So, my question is: is she just really picky?  Or is there a significant difference?

(Knowing her, my vote is that she's just really picky.)

[stacer]

Actually, there's a big difference between YA and middle grade, though it's tricky because they technically overlap. Middle grade runs for grades 4-8, roughly ages 9-12. YA runs 12-18, but many 12-13 year olds still read middle grade fiction. Think of it this way: you walk into the library or bookstore, and middle grade is the main section of novels for older children in the children's section. YA is the teens section, usually not found in the children's section, but somewhere nearby, so that the teens don't feel embarrassed to be going into the "children's" room/area.

Sorry, she's not being picky on this one--but perhaps it depends upon her books. Some books straddle the line, so the grey areas become points of contention.

[House of Mustard]

Okay... thanks.  I guess I'll try to stop being annoyed.  It's hard for me, but I'll manage.

[Spriggan]

You should still be annoyed Mustard, it makes for more intresting posts about this topic.