I might be stating the obvious, but life is hard right now for many of us around the world. So much so, it may even be affecting our reading habits. A new study suggests that more millennials are reliving their youth by indulging in young adult novels. So, the question we ask is: Why are more adults reading YA?

Changing demographics: the rise of adults reading YA

According to a new study commissioned by Farshore, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and Nielsen Book, the UK book industry’s data provider, 28 per cent of YA readers are over the age of 28. The “Annual Review of Children’s Reading for Pleasure, 2024” indicates that the number of adult readers has been growing since 2019. Approximately 68 per cent of those reading YA fiction are over the age of 18.

Interestingly, the research suggests that the resonance of YA fiction across ages and experiences is linked to the relatively new phenomenon of “emerging adulthood,” an extended life stage between adolescence and young adulthood. Among those aged 18 to 25 and beyond, it is associated with growing up more slowly, delaying adult responsibilities, exploring identity, experiencing instability, and focusing on oneself.

Escapism is another significant factor that draws people to literature. Analysis reports indicate that young people face numerous life challenges, including the pressures of growing up, exams, concerns about the world, and navigating relationships. YA fiction provides a means of coping with these pressures through escapism and relaxation. Three-quarters of 18- to 25-year-olds say they read to escape life’s stresses and to take a break from studying. While diverse characters offer a form of escapism by providing “new ideas and perspectives and a window on the world of others, as well as a feeling of being seen.”

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As we’ve mentioned in previous articles, concentration is a major issue due to the advent of social media and smartphones. Apparently, 67 per cent of 18 to 25-year-olds worry about their screen use, and 79 per cent of the same demographic say they prefer printed books as a way to take a break. This preference is much higher than those who favour ebooks (33%) and audiobooks (26%).

The report also recognises the impact of a screen-based childhood and adolescence on mental health, with many children and young adults suffering as a result. According to National Health England, one in five children and young people aged 8 to 25 years have a probable mental health disorder, regardless of what the UK government may think.

YA fiction as a genre category

In 2022, after the peak of the pandemic, video game producer and author Amy Jones wrote that her love for YA fiction stemmed from multiple reasons, one of which was that “it manages to discuss serious issues almost by stealth.” She continues, “Just because these issues are examined through the eyes of a teen rather than an older character doesn’t make them any less meaningful.”

She also raises an important point about our obsession with categorising books, saying that readers could end up missing literary classics from writers such as Jane Austen, Philip Pullman, and Malorie Blackman if we stay too focused on genres. There is an element of snobbery when it comes to what we read, but that doesn’t stop YA fiction books from being challenged in places like the US.

However, Virginia Zimmerman, an English professor at Bucknell University, disagrees that it’s about escaping. “The YA books that have been popular with adults are dark and serious and hard,” she told The Atlantic in 2017. “People might to go to YA literature to sink into a reality different than their own, but I think they sink into that reality to encounter feelings, challenges, and relationships they recognize from their own lives.”

Leonie Christel, who runs the YouTube channel “The Book Leo,” said that the argument that some YA books are “complex and deep” and therefore worth reading is problematic because it suggests that books can only be “respectable and valuable” if they present as such.

What the experts say: nostalgia, adventure, and accessibility

Elizabeth Jeannel, editor-in-chief at Midnight Meadow Publishing, told How To Be Books on why she thinks YA fiction appeals to adults. “To put it in the simplest terms, YA fiction is easier to read. There’s no learning curve, you’re not adding to your vocabulary just by reading it, and very seldom does it require you to use context clues to make sense of words you might have never read before,” Jeannel explained. She believes that since YA fiction is designed for young adult audiences, it avoids complexities that might deter casual reading. “And not for fun,” she added, suggesting that adult readers may seek less challenging materials for leisure reading.

Jeannel also touched on broader education concerns: “But more than that, I think we’ve seen a decline in literacy and reading comprehension, something that has been studied by those far more knowledgeable than me. So, some people can only enjoy fiction in a simpler form.”

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Nostalgia plays a significant role as well, particularly for millennials and some members of Generation X. “Millennials have a reputation now for chasing after the nostalgia of their youth—for chasing after a time when life was simpler. I think they find safety and solitude in young adult fiction because adult fiction is too real, and therefore doesn’t allow them a suspension of disbelief,” she noted.

Kristina Kelly, a sci-fi and fantasy author with titles aimed at both adult and YA audiences, also spoke with How To Be Books. She believes the adult fascination with YA fiction is multifaceted. “An adult interest in YA I think is twofold,” Kelly began. She explained that narrative themes typically found in YA fiction, such as the reluctant hero or the quest for adventure, are less common in adult literature. “It’s a shame, because humans don’t lose their sense of adventure and wonder just because they’ve entered this adulthood phase.”

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Kelly also highlighted the role of marketing in shaping the demographics of YA readership. “When publishers see the amount of non-YA aged readers consuming these books, they latch on to the potential sales,” she said. This has led to a blurring of the lines in content, making some YA fiction more appealing to adults by including mature themes and relationships.

These insights suggest that a combination of accessible writing, emotional nostalgia, and strategic marketing efforts by publishers drives the appeal of YA fiction to adult readers. As the boundaries between YA and adult fiction continue to blur, it seems likely that this trend will persist, offering new opportunities for authors and publishers alike. However, this trend also raises a much bigger question about the need to escape in the first place and why lives are becoming increasingly challenging for those entering adulthood. It’s time to make life a little less stressful for the next generation.