Books-tool or weapon?

I love to read.
Shocking, I know. Anyone that has been around me long enough or has managed to read my blog or even seen my ever-growing personal collection of books would be able to figure that out.
At times I have loved books for their escapism, others for the imagination or learning I have gotten from reading those wonderful pages. One of my biggest quandaries when it comes to books are those lovely little age-catagories.
When I was a teenager (ok, even before that...) I was an advanced reader. I got the point at the old age of nine that I got quite tired of the 'Boxcar Children' and the fun but cliche plot lines of the 'Mandy' mysteries, so I began exploring more. Well, it is a fact that should be well-known, that a lot of teen or young adult books are fluff, and fluff is so annoying. Yes, I had my classics, and I loved my Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, but occasionally you want an adventure of mystery that isn't completely bogged down with romance or even worse adult topics.
Now that I am older there seems to be so many more authors that can write a pretty awesome book that is both challenging and age-appropriate, and I have to wonder- is there more or am I just a better book finder? What I do think is important though is keeping on top of what book are available and even what ones are popular in the young adult section. I do this for several reasons.
1) I want to eventually write in this age group.
2) I work with this age group and like to know what they are reading.
3) I actually enjoy reading these books. :-)
Many people would argue that you don't need to read the books to know whether or not they are appropriate for young people to read, and to a certain extent that is true. I would not hand my 12 year old brother the Twilight books and expect him to not only enjoy them, but be at the appropriate age to understand the flaws with the books. But having read the Twilight series, I can from a experience stand-point argue why I think they are inappropriate for younger age-groups and what I find wrong with them, rather than have just a basic understanding of what the books are about (said arguments are a whole other post!). So not only am I able to find the 'bad' but sometimes I stumble across books that should be better known and are really really good, and in turn I am able to recommend, praise and even loan them out so that others are able to experience them.
Those books make it worth every time I've read a dud, or rolled my eyes through multiple cliches, or suffered through yet another adventure that devolved into another kitschy romance. That and the excitement I get to experience in others after they read the book and can share in both the ideas and story that captured my attention in the first place.
I think that being able to recommend and proof-read books as an adult is a very important job. What our young friends, younger siblings or even kids is very important and can help them grow as a person and we should care what they are setting before their eyes. As a Christian I am especially cautious about watching out for language or inappropriate romantic developments in a book that I will allow my siblings or friends to read.
I am so thankful though for all the wonderful authors out there that have well-written books that have imagination, a plot-line and characters that are interesting and well-developed. My library looks much the better for them, even though my pocketbook may not!