Novelists Who Write For Children and for Adults?

Question

Does anyone know the names of any famous authors who write books for children and write other books for an adult audience?

Suzy, I would like to know of any original books (not adaptations) written by someone who has written books for adults. The list you have given me is quite helpful, already, but I can never have too much useful information on this topic.

Answer 1

Carl Hiaassen wrote both Hoot, a Newbery Honor book for kids and Striptease and other novels for adults.

Judy Blume wrote Wifey and Summer Sisters for adults, and a dozen or so books for kids.

Clive Cussler writes the Dirk Pitt books for adults and has a new children's title called The Adventures of Vin Fiz. Haven't read it yet, but it looks interesting.

Louisa May Alcott, most famous for Little Women, wanted to be taken seriously as an adult novelist, but her books and stories for children paid her bills. Other than her fans, no one can name a book she wrote for adults.

I can think of quite a few established adult authors who wrote a token children's book or adapted a story for kids, but I don't think that counts.

Oohhh, I love Jane Yolen!

I thought of a few more (this is a great question!):
**Lynne Reid Banks, who wrote the Indian in the Cupboard books, also wrote a book called The L Shaped Room. I haven't read it, but I've heard it's pretty racy.
**Roald Dahl
**Neil Gaiman
** Russell Hoban
**Robert Cormier (The Chocolate War and Fade, which *might* be considered a YA novel, but IMO isn't)
**Dodie Smith wrote 101 Dalmations and I Capture the Castle
**Bette Bao Lord (In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson and Spring Moon)
**Louise Erdrich The Birchbark House and her adult novels

Answer 2

What a terrific question!

There are some GREAT answers here, taking most of the ones I'd thought of-- Jane Yolan, Louise Erhdrich (and I suppose we should mention her late ex-husband, Michael Dorris, who wrote some books with her, the non-fiction Broken Cord, and then a couple of well-receivved children's books. . . before his suicide), C.S. Lewis, etc. The answerers here are top notch, and I shouldn't even bother to add but since you say you'd like as much infomation as possible...

Judith Viorist is a poet who wrote several very funny poetry books for adults, including one of my favorite poems "True Love" (I know it's true love because when he's late and I know he's either having an affair or lying dead in the street, I always hope he's dead) as well as a couple of delightful children's poetry books AND the wonderful Tenth Good Thing About Barney, the Alexander books, My Mama Says there are no such things as Vampires...etc.

J.R.R. Tolkein's books are generally considered adult or YA but he also wrote the Father Christmas Letters for children.

Dorothy Gilman is known for her adult mysteries (especially the Mrs. Pollifax) but she also wrote several YA/children's books, like Maze in the Heart of the Castle and Buckskin Girl. Some of Isabella Holland's mysteries are YA and some are adult; ditto Norma Johnston.

Peter Dickinson has some WONDERFUL children's and YA books (Eva is great) and adult mysteries.

Believe it or not, Dave Barry (he of the humor books) and Ridley Pearson (he of the horror books, including the Rose Red everyone thought Stephen King wrote) teamed up and did Peter and the Starcatchers, which is a Peter Pan novel. A second is in the works.

Shirley Jackson wrote a couple of children's picture books.

There are the "celebrity children's books" by people like Danielle Steel, James Patterson (Maximum Ride, though one of his many co-writers may have done those), and Jan Karon. (I call them "celebrity children's books" because I'm not sure these people really felt called to write a book for kids; just thought it would be good marketing and how hard can it be? I will write a book for children!)

Janette Oke did a few children's books.

The fantasy genre is full of people who've done both. Tanith Lee has two YA series, while most of her writing has been for adults. Ursula LeGuin, Madeline L'Engle, Patricia McKillip, Anne McCaffrey (the Harper Hall trilogy is the YA component of her Dragonriders series), Whitney Striber did one YA novel, Peter Hauptman did a couple.

This is fun! I know I'll think of others.

BTW, Lynn Reid-Banks "L shaped room" is one of a trilogy, as I recall, psychological study type thing.

Answer 3

There is an author by the name of Jane Yolen who writes children's books and also young adult/adult fantasy stories. Try going to amazon.com and type in "Jane Yolen" for a list of her stories.

Answer 4

I was going to say Jane Yolen, too, but see I was beat to it.

Meg Cabot wrote The Princess Diaries and others for teens, and writes novels for adults under the name Meggin Cabot.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

cs lewis wrote for children and adults.

narnia series was for children (though i love it now as a 20year old)

the space trilogy, screwtape letters, and till we have faces (along with such books as mere christianity and the 4 loves) are all for adults