As the author of the groundbreaking novel Seventeenth Summer, Maureen Daly is credited with establishing young adult literature as a genre separate from the juvenile or adult publishing markets. With her debut novel in continuous publication since it first appeared in 1942, Daly's name remains recognizable to readers both young and old. Other popular young-adult titles written by Daly include Acts of Love and First a Dream. In addition to her books for both teens and younger readers, Daly has also written several volumes of nonfiction for adults, published numerous articles and columns in newspapers and periodicals that include the Chicago Tribune and Desert Sun, and authored screenplays for films and television.

Irish Roots

Born in 1921 in northern Ireland, Daly and her mother and two sisters eventually moved to Wisconsin to join her father, Joseph Daly, who had immigrated earlier. An avid reader, Daly haunted her local library on...