Local Authors in the Bay Area
Did you know several acclaimed authors of books for teens live right here in the Bay Area?
While COVID has limited authors from making in-person appearances, they’ve still engaged with the public through virtual events. When students attend these kinds of events, or read books written by local authors, they tend to feel excited about reading!
The Impact of Local Literature
In fact, books written by local authors often engage with settings and experiences that are familiar and highly relevant to local students. And when students attend local literary events (even virtual events), they come to understand that literature isn’t something static, but part of an ongoing conversation that students themselves can be part of. Plus, they gain greater perspective on what they read and can therefore perform a deeper analysis of texts that they read in school and out.
The Value of Signed Books
Another advantage of living in an area where so many writers live is that students can easily obtain signed books! An author’s signature signals to a student that books are something to value, which also underscores the idea that reading is worthwhile and important. Many local authors are happy to sign their books if you contact a local bookstore and request a signature; the author will generally stop in and sign the book so that the store can mail a signed copy to you. In fact, most local bookstores already have quite a few signed books waiting for purchase.
Bay Area Authors to Explore
Here are a few local authors of books for teens whose books and events your student might want to check out:
- Kelly Loy Gilbert is a Bay Area resident who attended a Cupertino high school which also serves as the setting for her contemporary novel Picture Us In The Light, winner of the California Book Award and Stonewall Honor. The story explores challenges teens face in high-pressure academic environments.
- Stacey Lee lives in the South Bay Area and is the recipient of the Asian Pacific American Library Association Literature Award. Palo Alto High School recommends her most recent historical novel, The Downstairs Girl, as summer reading, while Outrun the Moon tells the story of a Chinese-American teen who survives the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
- Gordon Jack is a librarian at a Bay Area high school and the author of the hilarious and insightful Your Own Worst Enemy, which follows a high school election with parallels to our modern political situation. Kirkus declared the novel “satire at its best.”
- Randy Ribay teaches English at a Bay Area school and loves to hike local trails. His most recent novel, Patron Saints of Nothing, tells the story of a Filipino-American teen who investigates his cousin’s murder. The National Book Award, LA Times Book Prize, Edgar Award for YA, and CILIP Carnegie Medal selected it as a finalist .
- Shannon Price is a Bay Area native and current resident who wrote A Thousand Fires, an exciting, modern retelling of the Iliad set in San Francisco. School Library Journal called it “A heart-wrenching tale… action-packed and intense… A fantastic read.”
- Misa Sugiura’s recent novel, This Time Will Be Different, follows a Japanese-American teen who wrestles with her family’s decision to sell their flower shop to a family who swindled her grandparents when thousands of Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps during WWII. Misa’s novels are set in Silicon Valley, where she lives.
- Parker Peevyhouse attended a local high school and still lives in the Bay Area. The New York Public Library and the Chicago Public Library named her first novel, Where Futures End, a “Best Book for Teens” by the. Her most recent science fiction puzzle-thriller is Strange Exit, which follows teens trapped in a failing simulation.
Enjoy Your Reading Journey!
Exploring books by local authors can make reading even more engaging and meaningful for students. Enjoy your reading journey!
