Ep 41: Choosing Great Teen Fiction Books

Brandon Mull, author of 15 New York Times Bestsellers, discusses
what makes good teen fiction books. He also shares what he's
learned about how to get teens reading for fun while giving
thousands of free lectures in schools around the country.


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Full show notes


When we read a book, we allow ourselves and our minds to go on a
unique journey. We give ourselves the ability to experience
perspectives we’ve never known or thought about before. We form
attachments to people and places beyond the scope of our
understanding. Overall, we learn more about ourselves and the
world just by sitting down and cracking open a paperback.


That’s why helping kids learn to love reading is important.
Finding Good teen fiction books to read provides
them a chance to expand their imaginations and views without even
leaving their homes! Additionally, reading is a great tool to
develop creative thinking, literary skills, and focus among young
people.


However, in our modern world saturated with visual media, it’s
challenging to find good teen fiction books to
read. Society doesn’t really encourage teens to explore
the written word anymore. Young people are much more likely to
spend time on Tik Tok, Youtube and Netflix than browsing the
shelves at the library or eBook store. How can we convince them
to take the time to enjoy a good novel when there’s millions of
hours of content available to stream at any moment?


Our guest today, Brandon Mull, is here to talk about how we can
get kids reading again. He’s written fifteen--that’s right,
fifteen--New York Times bestselling books, and many are
suggested books for teens. His most popular book
series, Fablehaven, has sold millions and millions of copies all
over the world. Also, he’s made it his purpose to teach young
people about the value of reading, by touring schools for four
months out of every year to hold free assemblies.


“Tipping Point” Books


Brandon talks about how when he was young, he had a big
imagination, but didn’t always know what to do with it. He never
really liked to read, until he discovered The Chronicles of
Narnia. The fantastical world and vivid characters captured his
interest, and he was hooked. From then on, reading became his
favorite activity, until he decided to pick up the pen and go at
it himself.


Brandon stresses the idea of a sort of “tipping point” book that
can turn kids into readers. Although teens might not really seem
to enjoy reading, they may not have found a book that really
appeals to them. Finding good teen fiction books
to read that excite and invigorate them can take them from being
entirely disinterested in reading to seeing some merit in it.
This could lead them to pick up another book, and another after
that. They might even fall in love with the written word and
become avid readers!


Although Narnia was the tipping point for
Brandon, it’s important to understand that every kid is different
and they won’t all enjoy reading the same suggested books
for teens. Brandon is a fantasy writer, and he
celebrates the ability of fantasy to connect to lots of readers.
That’s because fantasy is exciting and captures the imagination,
he says, but also because of the mainstream success of franchises
like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. If a kid is interested
in planes, animals, or dinosaurs, however, they might not find
fantasy appealing at all!


As a parent, if we can take the time to learn exactly what it is
that our kids are passionate about, we can help them find
good teen fiction books to read that’ll develop
an interest in reading that lasts a lifetime.


Reading Keeps Imagination Alive


Finding good teen fiction books to read can help
kids form lifelong relationships with their imaginations. They’ll
be happier and more well rounded individuals that continue into
adult life with a sense of creativity. One problem Brandon really
tries to combat in his work is the loss of time for imagination
and creativity as people get older. Our lives become busy and our
priorities change, making it difficult for us to make time for
things we used to enjoy.


For example, when Brandon visits a school, he usually asks kids
if they enjoy creative activities like drawing. Among late
elementary school students, almost 80% will say they enjoy these
activities. When he asks high school students, only about 10%
respond saying they still partake.


We want our kids to grow up and become innovators, entrepreneurs,
and game changers. Getting kids to read a wide variety of
suggested books for teens allows them to explore
their imagination and creativity. They’ll grow up to be people
who dream big and see the world in a unique way. If not, they’ll
never find ways to challenge the norm, to think outside of the
box.


As Brandon says, when we read, we generate brilliant
interpretations of the written word. He explains that you often
read a book, imagine it in your head, and then find the movie
adaptation to be disappointing. This means that you have the
power to create stories in your head that are
more entertaining as those created by acclaimed
directors with budgets of millions.


Life Lessons


Books use fictional places and characters to explore themes that
teach important lessons to young people. Brandon explains how
fiction allows him to create worlds and characters that help him
express the themes he wants to share. As parents, encouraging our
kids to read suggested books for teens allow
them to think about their lives in constructive ways.


For example, the two main characters of his Fablehaven series
both experience character arcs, or personal journeys, but they
grow in different ways. The books tell the story of two siblings,
Kendra and Seth, after they happen upon a magical world in their
grandparents’ garden. Kendra, a very careful and cautious person,
is constantly learning that sometimes in life, you have to take
risks. Simultaneously, her more free-spirited brother, Seth, is
learning that he sometimes needs to have a plan and practice
caution. As these two characters grow and evolve, they are
constantly understanding themselves, each other, and the world on
new levels.


No matter which character young readers identify with, seeing
these two contracting ways of growing can help kids see that we
all have different personalities and struggles and that’s ok.
Everyone is dealing with different things in life, but that
doesn’t stop us from always improving and continuing to work on
ourselves.


Family Bonding


Not only do suggested books for teens help your
child develop a rich inner world, but they can also be a reason
for you and your teenager to spend time together. Reading
together in the evenings or listening to books on audio during
long road trips is one of the ways Brandon says families often
enjoy his books.


He explains how sharing these fictional worlds with your family
members can provide a way for you to talk about serious issues
with your children. By using the fictional universe as a kind of
shared language w...