Chapter 1

Journal Entry # 1
Describe any experiences you have had with young adult literature. What do you think of when you hear this term?

Young adult literature… What? Literature? That term used to scare the daylights out of me. The first thing that comes to my mind when ever I hear the word literature is Shakespeare. The funny thing is that I didn’t even know what Shakespeare is all about, and still don’t know. I guess my fear was definitely related to the fact that my English was very bad when I was growing up. In case if any inquiring minds want to know, I got a 7 in my SPM back in 1980. Wow, has it been that long ago? I guess time really flies when I am having fun.

Well, let’s get back to our original topic, young adult literature or YAL. Frankly, I had no idea what I was heading for. But lo and behold, the first day of Dr Edwin’s lecture was riveting. I was thinking to myself… Hmm, this subject is not bad at all. If only I knew that, I would have taken one or two literature classes when I was studying for my first degree. I guess the old adage still holds true i.e. it’s better late than never.

I guess if I ever decide to become a lecturer at a college or university (by the way, I am currently working as an administrator at a college), I will definitely include many extracts from YAL novels as regular materials for my class. I really believe that reading is such a wonderful activity especially among the young ones. When you read, you are instantly transported to another world which is known only to you and the pages that are being flipped.