YA Occult Literature: Presentation Outline

Occultism encompasses a wide array of mystical philosophies and mythical lores, particularly in the belief of an “unseen world” whose forces act upon us and through us. Many people believe that occultist crave immortality, power, and limitless knowledge.
Elements include:

Shakespeare even drew on occult elements, such as the ghost in Hamlet, the witches in Macbeth, and the soothsayer in Julius Caesar.
It shares many of the same themes as Gothic literature.
Influential Young Adult Authors:

“Horror fiction puts these views of the world, whether collective or individual, to the test, often showing how, in some way or another, these understandings of self, other, and world are mistaken, incomplete, or false.” --Gary Pullman

The transcendent popularity of occult literature among young adults stems partially from the genre's ability to support and reflect the teen experience.

Occult literature asks its reader to question reality and contemplate the unknown, tasks necessitating cognitive abilities developed during adolescence.
Imagining the occult requires creativity and daydreaming, markers of teen personality.
Young adults can use occult fiction to try on roles in a safe way in order to discover a cohesive self identity.
Though rooted in paranormal circumstances, YA occult literature typically tells a story from the perspective of a teen who experiences many of the same things any other teen would.

The commercial and critical success of individual works of occult literature means including the genre is a must in any library collection.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (#4 on YALSA top ten) is a paranormal romance featuring werewolves.
Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (#5) includes fallen angels, ancient spells, and sinister motives, but offers important lessons about love and sacrifice.
Beautiful Creatures by Garcia and Stohl (#6) takes place in the ultimate occult setting. Curses from the Civil War, spells, haunting dreams, and graveyards drive this mysterious story.

The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan consists of four trilogies all about vampires.
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare contains six novels taking the reader to the Downworld where every dark creature imaginable hides.
House of Night by P.C. & Kristin Cast is an expansive series documenting a world where some adolescents hit normal puberty and others become vampires.
Don't forget Harry Potter and Twilight, testaments to the ubiquitous nature of occult in today's literature.

Leading kids down wrong path
Parents feel that teaching kids about mystic forces leads them away from the teachings of their religion
Over use of imagination effecting emotional development
Some parents feel that
Protesting promotion of New Ageism
New Agesim is an “eclectic group of cultural attitudes arising in late 20th century Western society that are adapted from those of a variety of ancient and modern cultures, that emphasize beliefs (as reincarnation, holism, pantheism, and occultism) outside the mainstream, and that advance alternative approaches to spirituality, right living, and health” (Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary.
e.g. Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time.

Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, for occult/Satanism and anti-family themes
The Giver by Lois Lowry, for being sexually explicit, occult themes and violence.
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney, for violence, being unsuited to age group and occult themes.
Scary Stories series, by Alvin Schwartz, for violence, being unsuited to age group and occult themes

As well as protesting occult books, many Christian writers have decided to write their own books with Christian values at the core. Some, like “Reforming the Potter’s Clay,” directly addresses occultism, it’s influence, and how to resist it. Some take a more straight forward approach, making the Bible into graphic novels. The popular series “Left Behind” is an excellent example of how books can cross cultures. Books like “Never Been Kissed” is targeted towards the “chick-lit” niche, and appears to be a PG version of Judy Blume.

Follow procedure for challenged books
Every library should have a policy for handling challenged books. Each library should handle its case per circumstance.
If the challenge is for a program (summer reading program containing occult themed books), allow for an alternative or withdraw program

e.g. Pickens County (S.C.) Library System
The PCLS had a mystery themed summer reading program, which included a night that looked at horoscopes and tarot cards. When a local group threatened to picket the program (from what I understand, not just the one night, the entire program) the library decided it would be best for its YA patrons to cancel the program, rather than have them walk through a picket line each night.

Sometimes the problem solves itself
Many libraries with a developed occult section report that those are the books that most often go missing, to the point where the books must be kept behind the reference desk. While these books are usually “non-fiction,” it is possible that a person might just take an offending book off your shelf for you, saving you the trouble of paperwork.

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