In this week's issue of Publisher’s Weekly, author Michael Cart is quoted as saying that “over the past decade and a half, as the number of YA books has exploded, the average age of the protagonists has risen from 14 to 17 and the term `young adult’ has expanded to include readers `as old as 25.’ Keep that in mind when you’re creating your characters.

So, I finally had a chance to read this year's National Book Award Winner in the YA category. I loved Arthur/Junior. Talk about an author creating a voice. Immediately a reader is drawn in to the story because you can't help but root for Junior. I've recommended the book to my husband, an English teacher in an economically-challenged community. I think many of his students can relate to the desire to get out of their current situation, as well as the conflict that arises when you do so. It's a wonderful story, not only to read, but to learn from as a writer. If you haven't already done so, take a few hours to read "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian."