Can I please ask what is probably a stupid question...

What is a light novel, and how is it different to reading manga for example?
Can you give me any specific examples of what books might be 'light novels'?

Many thanks

Sqz

From wikipedia:

"A light novel (ライトノベル) is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students (young adult demographic). They are typically not more than 40,000–50,000 words long (the shorter ones being equivalent to a novella in US publishing terms), rarely exceed 200 pages, are usually published in bunkobon size, and are often illustrated. The text is often serialized in anthology magazines prior to collection in book form."

And in wikipedia there is also a list of light novel books: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_light_novels

So reading manga resembles more a comic, while a light novel is like a novel, but target to teens. The illustrations use in a light novel are usually present just in some few pages.

Remember google is your friend

They're "lighter" in the sense that they're short and small in size I guess. It's still a novel, maybe with some illustrations between the chapters, and not much furigana. At least for キノの旅 and とらドラ！, the only series I have at the moment.

It's like an easier-to-read book. In the US, we target kids and teenagers without using a different term, but if you've ever read a book for a 12-15 year old, you know what they're like.

Ah, I understand. And yeah, first hit on google ><. Just kept seeing people on this forum referring the light novels all the time, and had always thought, 'what are they talking about?'. I usually read 毎日新聞 online but that can get a little dry sometimes (if not bloody complicated too)

I'm off to Japan for a couple of weeks in October, so I think I'll bring some back home to England with me