Harry Potter. Twilight. The Hunger Games. All the best-selling books these days seem to be written for young adults. So perhaps it’s not too surprising that some of fiction’s most prominent authors are taking a whirl at teen lit. John Grisham released the third book in his Theodore Boone Series. James Patterson has written a YA book, too (Confessions of a Murder Suspect). Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley has taken a stab in the genre with Pie in the Sky. Part of the appeal, of course, is the booming YA market: Simply put, it’s easier to make a buck. Many authors love the thrill of trying something new, as well; and they’re eager to cater to youth who love to read. “If you talk to YA authors, they all value the passion of these omnivorous readers,” says Tracy van Straaten, vice president of trade publicity for Scholastic. It’s also a way for the writers themselves to recall transformative moments in their own lives. “Whether the setting is futuristic, historical, sci-fi, suburban or inner-city, at the core of it there’s that thing all teenagers go through. Every adult remembers, vividly, the adolescent experience.” (Entertainment Weekly)
