Young Adult Lit Timeline

Purity without Passion

Period: Jan 1, 1800 to Dec 31, 1900

Books for children were mainly about being pure--there was no emphasis on living life in the here and now.

School buildings as public libraries

Jun 13, 1845

Dime and Domestic Novels

Jun 13, 1860

Alcott and Alger publish

Jun 13, 1868

Alcott had staying power; Alger did not.

American Sunday School Books

Jun 13, 1885

These books, mainly moral lessons, lose their influence.

Reading Needs vs. Wants

Jun 13, 1897

Stratemeyer Syndicate

Jun 13, 1897

From Safety of Romance to Beginnings of Realism

Period: Jan 1, 1901 to Dec 31, 1940

The US faced many challenges during this time--WWI, the Great Depression, The Roaring Twenties and industrialization. Books for children reflected how Americans began to see the changes within their society.

School Librarians Needed!

Jun 13, 1912

Girls Books vs. Boys' Books

Jun 13, 1935

Kids that choose books read more

Jun 13, 1936

1940-1960 From Certainty to Uncertainty

Period: Jan 1, 1941 to Dec 31, 1960

This time in society is marked by its gaps. Many studies are done on what kids like to read, but they mostly prove to be inadequate. Bibliotherapy becomes popular.

Most pre-1940 books drop out of popularity

Jun 13, 1941

English is a Discipline

Jun 13, 1948

Paperbacks Rule!

Jun 13, 1950

Bildungsroman influences YA lit.

Jun 13, 1951

First YA Criticism Appears

Jun 13, 1951

Civil Rights for African Americans

Jun 13, 1960

1960-1980 Uncertainty becomes Turbulence

Period: Jan 1, 1961 to Dec 31, 1980

Many of the social upheavals of the times (Civil Rights, Womens Rights, Gay Rights, Environmental Movement) still cause people to take sides today.

Educational Wasteland published

Jun 13, 1963

"Intellectual Rights and the Teenager"

Jun 13, 1967

The Outsiders is published.

Jun 13, 1967

"Quick Picks" instead of "Books for Slow High School Readers"

Jun 13, 1974

VOYA established.

Jun 13, 1978

First edition of our text--first of its kind

Jun 13, 1980