Cursed children: addressing demands for diversity in after-the-fact sequels

While Young Adult Literature (YAL) is not new, it is still considered by many academics, teachers, and parents to be “an illegitimate child” (Hill 1). A relatively young field of literature, YAL—like adolescence itself—is difficult to define. Some texts from the turn of the century have remained figureheads for Young Adult Literature (YAL), adopting canonical status and acting as foundations upon which the genre can develop and grow. Rowling’s Potter series, Meyer’s Twilight saga, and Collins’s Hunger Games series have all become a part of the contemporary YAL canon, generating a global readership and achieving phenomenal status. However, in the past five years, readers might have felt a sense of déjà vu as they scanned the shelves of their favourite bookstores. Years after their original series’ completion, the Potter series, Twilight saga, and Hunger Games series have all seen new instalments to their narratives. If the genre of YAL continues to grow and change as time goes on, then where do these after-the-fact sequels fall?