

Is it YA or Middle Grade?
Below is a chart highlighting some essential differences:
|
MIDDLE GRADE |
YOUNG ADULT (YA) |
AGE | Hero is usually 13 or younger, and in middle school (grades 4-8.) Age of reader is approximately 8-12. | Hero is mid-to late teens; in high school (grades 9-12) Age of reader is 13 and up. |
THEMES | Themes focus on the challenges of youth and ‘coming of age.’ | May be multi-themed; often not written according to popular themes, but what the author knows or has researched. |
CHARACTER JOURNEY | Novels emphasize character and his/her emotional struggle, or coming of age, more than plot. | More complicated, plot-wise. Hero experiences internal change, often triggered by external events. Adult problems encountered for the first time. |
SECONDARY / ADULT CHARACTERS | Parents or other significant adults are often strong secondary characters. | Adult characters play a backseat role. |
ENDINGS | Stories generally resolve happily, or if not, it’s bittersweet – there is a strong sense of hope. | Stories don’t always have happy endings, though resilience and hope are still evident. |
LANGUAGE & EDGY “CONTENT” | Little to no profanity. Think ‘darn’ vs. ‘damn.’ Also little violence or substance abuse. If any, usually involves ‘friend’ or secondary character, rather than hero. | May include a lot of profanity. May also include violence, substance abuse, or any ‘edgy’ content relevant to teens today. |
VOICE | Often (though not always) told in 3rd person narrative form – though usually close 3rd person, i.e. always ‘with’ the protagonist. | Often told from the viewpoint of or in the 1st person voice of the young adult hero, as opposed to a 3rd person narrator. Language may be more lyrical/poetic – may even be in verse. |
ROMANCE / SEX | Romance is largely innocent and sexuality is at a minimum. Think “first kiss” or hand holding, if anything at all. | Romance and sexuality abound – though sex scenes are not usually graphic. (Save that for adult fiction.) |
FOCUS / PERSPECTIVE | Perspective is internal; focused on self-growth and hero discovering who he/she is in the world. | Perspective becomes external. Hero notices world around them and how they fit in. Often moves from more selfish developmental stage to awareness of feelings and circumstances of others. |
SUBJECT MATTER | Most MG kids’ lives are still controlled by adults – so fantasy and magic are popular. | Characters are old enough to be independent and get into trouble, so grittiness and realism abounds. |