YA or Not YA? 'Stitches' Nomination Opens Debate

By Karen Springen -- School Library Journal, 10/18/2009 10:36:00 PM

Caldecott Medalist David Small’s graphic novel-style memoir, Stitches, last week became a 2009 National Book Award finalist in the Young People’s Literature category —which has led to some discussion and debate, along with the usual congratulations. 

Publishers, not National Book Award judges, nominate books for particular categories. And W.W. Norton, which normally publishes general-interest books and textbooks for adults, submitted Stitches for the children’s award rather than the nonfiction adult one. It was a "house decision," says Robert Weil, executive editor at Norton, who acquired the book at auction and who edited it. "It has been a crossover book. We found a great appeal to kids between 12 and 18. Many of the comments we’ve gotten are from teens. It is a growing-up story, but the issues addressed in the book are ones that a lot of teens face."

The author was not involved in the age category decision. "I didn’t have anything to do with that," says Small. Originally, he said, "I felt I was stepping out of the children’s book world. [But] now I’ve had enough reactions from teenagers and people in their early 20s and even a 13-year-old."

The crossover in age appeal "pleases me," Small says. Even when he wrote the book, he knew kids might see it. "There were things I refrained from talking about, knowing that the book might fall into the hands of kids," he says. For example, he did not talk about masturbating. "I’m not saying that I’m a fuddy-duddy, but I think it was unnecessary in this case to be that candid about my entire adolescent life. It had nothing to do with the arc of the story I was telling," he says. "There’s an urge to confess everything. It’s sort of cleansing, until you realize it’s sort of pointless."

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