Needed inspiration for the times
I had a question from a reviewer about what age my book, Antuna’s Story, is written for. It is not a question that troubles most reviewers since the book has a 4.7 rating on Goodreads and has now received multiple awards. Yet I have had the question before, and I had difficulty deciding how to market this book, the first in my trilogy, The Antunite Chronicles. After serious thought, I decided to market my trilogy, including Antuna’s Story, to young adult readers. It is not the typical thing youth read these days, but I felt it was something they needed to read in these troubled times when wars are being fought again in Europe and the Middle east, and democracy is at risk worldwide. Kids are growing up fast these days, and it’s not just the cartoons and movies they watch or the video games they play that are less child-like, it is their whole world. The last time our planet was in such flux, classic novels like Animal Farm were inspired, and generations of youth were exposed to their messages. Such inspiration is needed again.
Wordplay on display
I use the following catchphrases to market my trilogy: “An allegory for our time. A thrillogy for all ages.” There’s an obvious play on the words thrill and trilogy, but there is also a play on the word ages. That is, I hope the book will stand the test of time since history repeats itself and the themes are timeless. Yet, by saying for all ages, I also meant that the trilogy is written for readers of all ages, which goes for Antuna’s Story as well. The trilogy is first and foremost written for teens and young adults, and it is intended as a coming-of-age story, where young readers can fondly remember their recent childhood innocence, yet then come to an understanding of the harshness of today’s real world. By coming-of-age, I don’t mean in the traditional sense of understanding how the teen body is changing or how relationships with their peers are maturing, but how they see the world on a grander scale, as they come to know what is happening across this planet.
It’s all Allegorical
Like Animal Farm, the stories are allegories, and the characters are not human. In this case, they are insects that initially appear cute and fussy, but just like the aggressive world of real insects, everything is not what it originally seems. Despite having insect characters like in A Bug’s Life or Antz, the trilogy and Antuna’s Story are not written for young children. Although Antuna’s Story could be read to 9 or 10-year-olds by their parents who want to teach them that real life is not the fairy tale they once believed it was. However, by for all ages, I mean that my trilogy is also written for adults, particularly those who long to remember the time of their innocent youth, but at the same time enjoy a satirical look at what the world has become in recent years. It is true that Antuna’s Story starts out like a children’s book, but this was meant to be part of the allegory. At the outset, life appears simple, but we learn in time that things are much more complicated.
Spruce up your vocabulary
While it is true that some of the vocabulary may be advanced for teens and young adults, isn’t that the point of reading? As an author, I often used a thesaurus while writing the book, so why shouldn’t I expect that young readers might need to use a dictionary or thesaurus to help their understanding of it? As a lifelong teacher, I have always tried to challenge my students to learn concepts that are new to them. Why would I change that approach as an author? And too, I remember when I read my first Shakespeare play at age 15, I still enjoyed it, even though I didn’t understand half of what I read. I hope that all who read Antuna’s Story will just let the story take them where it leads and not be hung up on who it is written for. And if you can’t let it go, give it to a 14-year-old and let them explain it to you after they’re done.
