Why YA? (And What Is It, Anyway?)

The year 1967 saw the publication of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, arguably the first book of serious literature for young adult readers.

The author was barely 18 years old.

Since then, YA has exploded into one of the largest markets in fiction with tens of thousands of new titles published every year.

But how did it all get started? How has it grown? And what the heck is it anyway?

For anyone who has written or wants to write (or just enjoys) YA literature, this brief, 20 page essay offers a fresh perspective on the past, present and future of a publishing phenomenon.