THE OUTSIDERS was published during Hinton's freshman year at the University of Tulsa, and it was an immediate sensation. Today, with more than eight million copies in print, the book is the second best-selling young adult book in publishing history, and one of the most hauntingly powerful views into the thoughts and feelings of teenagers. The book was also made into a film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and featuring such future stars as Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, and Tom Cruise.

    Her other early books are THAT WAS THEN, THIS WAS NOW: RUMBLE FISH; TEX; and TAMING THE STAR RUNNER.

    In recent years, Hinton has focused on a younger audience, writing the highly successful picture book, BIG DAVID, LITTLE DAVID, and the chapter book, THE PUPPY SISTER.

    In a wonderful tribute to Hinton's distinguished career, the American Library Association and SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL bestowed upon her their first annual Margaret A. Edwards Award, which honors authors whose "book or books, over a period of time, have been accepted by young people as an authentic voice that continues to illuminate their experiences and emotions, giving insight into their lives."

    Hinton is also the recipient of the Oklahoma Center for the Book's Lifetime Achievement Award.

(Courtesy of Penguin Putnam Inc.)