Jim Looks at Known Authors Writing Children’s Books

Many readers would be surprised at the wealth of fantastic authors writing juvenile fiction. In fact, I hadn’t read the renowned author Isabel Allende until I found a new kid’s trilogy starting with City of Beasts. The trilogy features twins who go on adventures with their archaeologist grandmother. After those I then read many of her books for adult audiences such as House of Spirits, Zorro, and my favorite, Ines of My Soul. To be able to successfully transfer her talents to a younger audience was so impressive that I have made a point of reading any young adult books written by similarly popular authors. The best part of this is that young readers will have an early introduction to some of today’s most prominent authors.

Here are a few other prominent authors delving into the children's book world:

Salman Rushdie at the Mandeville Auditorium on September 22 reminded my colleague Acacia of his two young adult titles, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, and its sequel, Luka and the Fire of Life. These are in regular fiction but are also exciting novels for younger readers.

Elizabeth George’s The Edge of Nowhere, released in early September, features clairvoyant Becca King in the first of this cycle. George is best known for her crime novels featuring Inspector Linley.

Kathy Reichs is author of Deadly Decisions and a dozen other titles feature forensics expert Temperance Brennan. Reichs’ books are the basis for the TV show, “Bones.” Her new young adult series (starting with Virals) introduces Brennan’s niece, Tori, a teen detective. A virus gives Tori and companions several canine senses, including sight and hearing, which they are learning to control.

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have co-written a creative and humorous series of books. Peter & the Starcatchers (describing Peter Pan’s first encounters with magic) The story has been produced as a musical (which debuted a few years ago at La Jolla Playhouse.) There is also Science Fair, a hilarious look at sixth graders’ efforts to close down the eastern seaboard, and the foreigners who get hooked on the Shopping Network while checking in on the students’ progress.

Prolific James Patterson has the Maximum Ride series (six books and growing) about Max and her flock of siblings who have been cloned with birds, a spin-off of the more horrific adult novel, When the Wind Blows describing the creation of these unusual teens. He also has a Witch & Wizard series, among others.

Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (also made into a movie) introduced young readers to his imaginative fantasy, with The Graveyard Book being selected for top honors as a Newbery Award.

Harlan Coben’s character Myron Bolitar is the uncle of the protagonist in this riveting first teen mystery, Shelter. Philippa Gregory’s The Changeling series is popular among young readers.

 There are certainly many others, but the authors listed are some of my favorites. If you are fans of adult titles, the ones for younger audience may appeal to you as well.

 

Jim is a bookseller at Warwick's