Author James Patterson with the cover of his latest book in the Maximum Ride series, Max. (Credit for Author Photo: Deborah Feingold; for book cover, Little Brown and Company)
Read This for a Maximum Ride
James Patterson's young adult series inspires all readers
Author James Patterson with Kid Reporter Henry Dunkelberger at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C., September 2009. (Photo Courtesy Henry Dunkelberger)
Voices, laughter, and applause filled the mystery and thriller pavilion at the National Book Fair recently, where bestselling author James Patterson was talking about his books and his life.
In person and in print, Patterson has captured the imagination of his audiences—both young and old. He writes at a heart-racing pace that keeps you turning the pages.
The well-known author of adult thrillers, Patterson also writes for a younger audience, he told those attending the book fair in Washington, D.C. His goal: to inspire more kids to read.
"One of the reasons I want to get kids into reading is that when I was a kid, I was not that much into it," he said. "I have an 11-year-old son, so I wanted to get him into reading."
One inspiration he uses is in his style, which is faced-paced and plot driven. The pages practically turn themselves as readers become glued to the action in his series, Maximum Ride.
"There are millions of kids in this world who have never read a book that they love or even like," he said. "That's a real shame. One of the ways out of that is to give kids books that they will love. That is what I try to write."
Patterson established a website for kids called readkiddoread.com. The site recommends great books for all ages, with reviews, quizzes, and reading guides. The site is for parents, teachers, and kids who are looking for a good read.
A prolific author who publishes several books a year, Patterson holds the record for the most bestsellers on The New York Times Bestseller list. He has had 47 titles listed so far.
Maximum Ride, Patterson's first novel for young adults, remained number one on The New York Times list for 12 weeks! And as a series, it has remained there for over 94 weeks.
The fifth book in the series, Max, was released in September. A film from the series is expected to be released in 2010.
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