Hey YA Readers!
This week’s edition of “What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by Body Parts by Jessica Kapp, from Diversion Books.
While kids wait for their ideal adoptive parents at an elite foster center, they believe their trainers’ refrain, that being in top physical condition will lead to their being matched with the perfect forever family. But Tabitha learns the terrifying reality when she’s told she’s been paired with a family, but wakes immobile in a hospital bed, about to be sliced open to have her organs harvested. Rescued by a group of renegade teens, we follow Jessica and her friends through their race to uncover the secrets of the center and the shocking truths behind the foster program.
As August — and summer — roll to a close, let’s catch up on the latest in YA news from the last month or so.
Let’s start with a host of adaptation news first:
- Nick Jonas is hopping on board the adaptation of Chaos Walking.
- Check out the incredible casting news for Dumplin’. Also? I love that it’s being described as a comedy, which gives me a lot of hope that it’ll be a really fabulous adaptation.
- Common is joining the adaptation of The Hate U Give.
- Lauren Kate’s Fallen hit theaters overseas already, but there’s now been a date set for its US debut. It’s not that far away.
- And news about a CW adaptation of Lesley Livingston’s The Valiant.
- How about Ridley Scott being attached to a YA project for Amazon? I’ve seen The Beast Is An Animal floating around but haven’t picked it up yet.
- Can’t say that Twilight nor Hunger Games theme parks are high on my must-see places, and yet, they’re going to exist.
- Here’s a really great piece about the sorts of hard-hitting, timely, realistic YA that’s being picked up for adaptation and what that might say about the future of YA and YA on the big/small screen.
For some non-adaptation related YA links of note. Seems like the big news at this time of the year is always centered around adaptations, as the summer season is slow in the publishing world:
- Jen Lancaster, who might be best known for her adult memoirs, has a YA novel hitting shelves this fall.
- An excellent round-up of 42 diverse YA titles all libraries should have. This would be a wonderful reading list, for sure.
- The sneak peek of the graphic novel take on Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak is making me so excited.
- The New York Times rounds up some recent and forthcoming children’s and YA books about Muslim refugees.
- I love a book list from outside the US, since it can often highlight titles that wouldn’t see much attention in the states. This one from the Toronto Star has some good-sounding YA picks for the fall (I’ve read the Reed book and it’s *fire emoji here*).
- And let’s round this out with a look at some excellent YA reads for those who are politically engaged.
Great Ebook deals for you this week…
As always, you might need to toggle over to the Kindle edition from these links.
Jenna Evans Welch’s debut Love & Gelato is $1.99. A summer road trip across Tuscany? Sounds like an excellent read for the dwindling days of beach season.
If you’e looking for something a little heavier, Patty Blount’s Some Boys is $1.25 and explores rape culture.
Genius: The Game by Leopoldo Gout is $2.99. I haven’t read this, but know the sequel just came out, so you could start the series on the cheap.
Thanks for hanging out & we’ll see you again here next week.
-Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars
PS: There should be some exciting news coming soon about, oh, Book Riot and YA and a project that’ll be underway in less than a month. Get excited!