Biography

Valerie Hobbs did not set out to write novels for young adults, but ever since critics praised her 1995 coming-of-age story How Far Would You Have Gotten If I Hadn't Called You Back?, she has been a respected author of fiction for teens. At the rate of approximately one book per year, Hobbs has crafted character-driven tales about young people on the verge of adulthood, forced to make serious decisions about the direction their lives will take. Often the young protagonists are confronted with circumstances beyond their control--the death of a guardian or a boyfriend, parental divorce, or physical disability. How they deal with these challenges forms the core of Hobbs's works. Horn Book contributor Jeannine M. Chapman observed that in Hobbs's novels, "the confusion of adolescence is truthfully rendered." A Publishers Weekly reviewer likewise credited Hobbs with "a keen understanding of adolescent moods and concerns."                                                                                                 [read more]