Susan Eloise Hinton is one of the best-known writers of young adult fiction. Her books have been taught in some schools, and banned from others. Her novels have changed the way people look at young adult literature.

S. E. Hinton was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  During her junior year in high school, one of her friends, a “greaser”, was beaten up by the “nice” kids.  Angry, Hinton ran home and began writing what we know now as The Outsiders.  Oddly, this was the same semester that she was failing her creative writing class in school.  This would be the first book she would get published, followed by many other young adult books and even a few books aimed at kindergarten and elementary-aged children.

S.E. Hinton was becoming known as "The Voice of the Youth" among other titles. This kind of pressure and publicity resulted in a three year long writer's block, which her future husband would help her break by making her write two pages a day before going anywhere. S.E. Hinton became the first person to receive the YASD/SLJ Author Achievement Award, which was given by the Young Adult Services Division of the American Library Association and School Library Journal.

S.E. Hinton is currently living with her husband in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is continuing her newest trend of writing for younger children.  She has one son, Nick, who is away at college.

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