The Outsiders
Hinton's first published work and the clearest introduction to her realistic young-adult fiction.
Author guide
S. E. Hinton Books in Order
Susan Eloise Hinton, known professionally as S. E. Hinton, was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1948. She published The Outsiders in 1967 while still in high school, helping establish realistic young-adult fiction as a major literary field. Her work often explores adolescent alienation, social class, loyalty, violence, friendship, and family. She later wrote children's fiction, the adult novel Hawkes Harbor, and the short-story collection Some of Tim's Stories.
young-adult fictionchildren's literatureadult fictionshort stories
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Novels (7)
- The Outsiders
novel · 1967
Ponyboy can count on his brothers. And on his friends. But not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up "greasers" like Ponyboy. At least he know what to expect -…
- That Was Then, This Is Now
novel · 1971
Sixteen-year-old Mark and Bryon have been like brothers since childhood, but now, as their involvement with girls, gangs, and drugs increases, their relationship seems to gradually disintegrate.
- Rumble Fish
novel · 1975
Rusty-James is the toughest guy in the group of high-school kids who hang out and shoot pool down at Benny's, and he enjoys keeping up his reputation. What he wants most of all is to be just like his older brother, the Motorcycle Boy. He…
- Tex
novel · 1979
The love between two teenage brothers helps to alleviate the harshness of their usually parentless life as they struggle to grow up.
- Taming the Star Runner
novel · 1988
Sent to live with his uncle after a violent confrontation with his stepfather, sixteen-year-old Travis, an aspiring writer, finds life in a small Oklahoma town confining until he meets an eighteen-year-old horse trainer named Casey.
- The Puppy Sister
novella · 1995
A young boy is astonished when his new puppy begins to change into a human girl who says to him, "I love you, brother!"
- Hawkes Harbor
novel · 2004
Jamie Sommers is orphaned at the age of eight in 1950 and sent to live with some nasty nuns until graduating as a troubled young man to a life at sea. After surviving a number of life-threatening adventures in exotic ports, he ends up in…
Short fiction (1)
- Some of Tim's Stories
short-story-collection · 2007
Complemented by exclusive interviews with the best-selling author of The Outsiders, a collection of fourteen original, interconnected short stories captures the lives of adults lost in a world of missed opportunities and connections, in a…
Children's books (1)
- Big David, Little David
picture-book · 1995
When Nick learns that a kindergarten classmate and his own father not only look alike but have the same name, he wonders if they could possibly be the same person.
Frequently asked questions about S. E. Hinton
What is S. E. Hinton’s real name?
S. E. Hinton is the professional name of Susan Eloise Hinton, an American writer best known for influential young-adult fiction.
Sources: sehinton.com (opens in a new tab)okhistory.org (opens in a new tab)
When and where was S. E. Hinton born?
She was born on July 22, 1948, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
How did S. E. Hinton begin her writing career?
She published her first novel in 1967 while still a high-school junior. She later earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa and made writing her career.
Sources: okhistory.org (opens in a new tab)sehinton.com (opens in a new tab)
What influenced S. E. Hinton to write for teenagers?
Hinton loved reading but felt that the young-adult literature available to her lacked stories she found appealing. She decided to write the kind of story she wanted to read.
Sources: sehinton.com (opens in a new tab)okhistory.org (opens in a new tab)
What awards did S. E. Hinton receive, and what is her literary legacy?
She was the first recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1988 and later received Oklahoma’s Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame. Her realistic treatment of social class and adolescent alienation helped open a new direction in young-adult literature.
Sources: ala.org (opens in a new tab)okhistory.org (opens in a new tab)