23 October 2023
Since young adult emerged as a category in the 1960s, it has served as a distinct place where 12-to-18-year-olds could find stories that speak to their unique position in life - the often awkward, painful, emotionally charged teen years when values are tested and identities are forged. The category aimed at teens hit peaks in the '90s with mass market paperback series like Fear Street and the Vampire Diaries, dipped, then exploded with early aughts hits like Twilight (2004) and The Hunger Games (2008), expanding the category to adult audiences and creating crossover hits.
