Click here for a Wikipedia A-Z list of writers whose readership is predominantly teenagers or young adults, or adult fiction writers who have published significant works intended for teens/young adults.
Some favorites are highlighted below with author information and links to some useful websites.
Edward Irving Wortis (born December 23, 1937), better known by the pen name Avi is an American author of young adult and children's literature. Avi has won awards for his books, including a Newbery Honor for The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle in 1991 and another for Nothing But the Truth in 1992. His fiftieth book, Crispin: The Cross of Lead, was awarded the Newbery Medal in 2003. ~ from Wikipedia
Matthew de la Peña is an American writer of children's books who specializes in novels for young adult.
Mexican WhiteBoy (2008) Named a 2009 ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults (Top Ten Pick), and was featured on the 2008 Bulletin for the Center of Children's Literature Blue Ribbon List. ~ from Wikipedia
Susan Eloise Hinton (born July 22, 1948) is an American writer best known for her young-adult novels set in Oklahoma, especially The Outsiders, which she wrote during high school. In1988 she received the inaugural Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association for her cumulative contribution in writing for teens. ~ from Wikipedia
Tamora Pierce (born December 13, 1954) is an American writer of fantasy fiction for teenagers, known best for stories featuring young heroines. She made a name for herself with her first book series, The Song of the Lioness (1983–1988), which followed the main character Alanna through the trials and triumphs of training as a knight. Many of her books have feminist themes.
Pierce won the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 2013, citing her two quartets Song of the Lionessand Protector of the Small (1999–2002). The annual award recognizes one writer and a particular body of work for "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature" ~ from Wikipedia
Laurie Halse Anderson (born October 23, 1961) is an American writer best known for children's and young-adult novels. She received the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 2009 for her contribution to young adult literature.
First recognized for her novel Speak, published in 1999. ~ from Wikipedia
Chris Crutcher (born July 17, 1946) is an American novelist and a family therapist. He received the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 2000 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens. ~ from Wikipedia
Cornelia Maria Funke (born on December 10, 1958) is a German author of children's fiction. Funke is best known for her Inkheart trilogy, published in 2004–2008. Many of her books have now been translated into English. Her work fits mainly into the fantasy and adventure genres.
Funke has sold over 20 million copies of her books worldwide.
Walter Dean Myers (born Walter Milton Myers; August 12, 1937 – July 1, 2014) was an American writer of children's books best known for young adult literature. He wrote more than one hundred books including picture books and nonfiction. He won the Coretta Scott King Award for African-American authors five times. His 1988 novel Fallen Angels is one of the books most frequently challenged in the U.S. because of its adult language and its realistic depiction of the Vietnam War.
Myers received the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1994 for his contribution in writing for teens.
Myers was the inaugural winner of the Michael L. Printz Award for Monster (HarperCollins, 1999), which was thereby designated the year's "best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit. ~ from Wikipedia
Suzanne Marie Collins (born August 10, 1962) is an American television writer and novelist, best known as the author of The New York Times best selling series The Underland Chronicles and The Hunger Games trilogy (which consists of The Hunger Games,Catching Fire, and Mockingjay). ~ from Wikipedia
Christopher Paul Curtis (born May 10, 1953) is an African-American writer of children's books. He may be known best for the Newbery Medal-winning Bud, Not Buddy and the critically acclaimed The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963.
Sharon Mills Draper (born April 21, 1948) is an American children's writer and a professional educator, the 1997 National Teacher of the Year. She is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for books about the African-American experience. She may be known best for her novel, Darkness Before Dawn, as well as The Battle of Jericho. Other books include Copper Sun, Double Dutch, Out of My Mind, the Jericho Trilogy and Romiette and Julio.
Draper won the Margaret A. Edwards Award from American Library Association in 2015.
Linda Sue Park is an American author of teen fiction. Park published her first novel, Seesaw Girl, in 1999. She has written six children’s novels and five picture books. Park's work achieved prominence when she received the prestigious 2002 Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard.
Jerry Spinelli (born February 1, 1940) is an American writer of children's novels that feature adolescence and early adulthood. He is best known for the 1990 Newbery Award winner Maniac Magee and Wringer.