LEWIS: Renaissance of nostalgia, young adult books making comebacks

Art by Sophie Goessling

Reading was a part of many people’s childhoods. Whether it was reading for school or for pleasure, books have been a way to escape the real world. Nostalgia is a common selling point to draw in fans of older content. Recent years have seen the resurgence of popular young adult books through new books, series and adaptations. 

Popular books from the 2000s and early 2010s have reentered the mainstream, with varying amounts of success. Authors and producers are using nostalgia to capitalize off four of the most popular series to reel readers back in. 

“The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins

“The Hunger Games,” published in 2008, takes place in a dystopian version of North America where the government forces its citizens to send young girls and boys into a televised to-the-death competition. The original trilogy follows sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen and her experience playing the games. 

In 2012, the first of four movie adaptations were released starring Jennifer Lawrence as Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark. 

Collins published “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” in 2020. The prequel book is set more than 50 years before the events of the original books. It explores the origins of the games and Coriolanus Snow’s rise to power. This book was also adapted into a 2023 movie, starring Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird and Tom Blyth as Snow. 

In June 2024, Collins announced another book taking place in the world of “The Hunger Games.” “Sunrise On The Reaping,” another prequel, set 24 years before the original series, follows Haymitch Abernathy, Everdeen’s mentor in the first books. The book is set to be published on March 18, 2025. 

A movie adaptation for the book was announced at the same time, set to be released by Lionsgate on Nov. 20, 2026. Releasing news of the book and movie simultaneously was a surprise to many fans, as many weren’t expecting news of either. 

“The Hunger Games” has persevered as a popular young adult series throughout the years. Its success as a franchise is credited to the quality of the work as well as the dedication of the fans. 

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” by Rick Riordan 

“The Lightning Thief,” the first installment in the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series was published in 2005. The series follows 12-year-old Percy Jackson as he finds his place at Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for children of Greek gods. When he’s sent on a quest across the United States to find Zeus' missing lightning bolt, he battles monsters and builds friendships. 

20th Century Fox released two film adaptations of the series in 2010 and 2013, starring Logan Lerman as Jackson. Many fans of the books were unsatisfied with the movies, calling them unfaithful to the source material. Riordan has even spoken out against the movies himself. 

Despite the contempt toward the movies, Riordan has fully fleshed out his world with multiple other series. “The Heroes of Olympus” series still focused on Greek and Roman mythology and featured characters new and old. Riordan even branched out with his mythologies — 2010’s “The Kane Chronicles” is inspired by Egyptian mythology and 2015’s “Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard” by Norse mythology. 

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” got another adaptation in 2023 with a Disney+ TV show. Riordan was more involved with the creation of this version, and, as a result, the show was received far better than the previous film adaptation. The second season of the show is set to release for streaming in 2025. 

Riordan hasn’t stopped writing books. In 2023, he and his co-author, Mark Oshiro, published “The Sun and the Star.” It’s a spin-off book focusing on Nico di Angelo and Will Solace, two characters from the original “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series. A second book has already been announced. 

The original “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series is also back with two new releases: 2023’s “The Chalice of the Gods” and 2024’s “Wrath of the Triple Goddess.” These two additions to the series follow Jackson in his senior year of high school. In order to get letters of recommendation, he must complete various quests from gods. 

As a series that borders the middle grade and young adult, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” has persisted through time. The new Disney+ series brings the story into modern times, adding relatability for a younger audience while still remaining faithful to the original books.  

“Uglies” by Scott Westerfeld 

“Uglies” was published in 2005. Set in a dystopian world separated into “uglies” and “pretties,” sixteen-year-old Tally Youngblood is scheduled to undergo a surgery that will turn her into a “pretty.” When her friend runs away, Youngblood is exposed to a side of her reality she didn’t expect. 

“Uglies” was a popular read during the age of dystopian books such as “The Hunger Games” or Veronica Roth’s “Divergent.” However, it managed to exit this era without an adaptation to its name, causing it to somewhat fade into obscurity.

Westerfeld eventually revisited the “Uglies” world with his newest series, “Impostors.” The four book series was published periodically through 2018-2022. The series is set in the years after the events of the original, and follows the consequences of the actions taken by the characters then. 

“Uglies” has finally reentered the bookish sphere with Netflix’s adaptation of the book. Starring Joey King, the 2024 release brought new attention to the series. The movie has been met with various reactions. 

Depending on the success of “Uglies,” fans might see more adaptations of long lost young adult books. With the advent of streaming services, there may be more companies to reach new audiences with stories of old books. Adapting an older book with already established fans, guarantees there will at least be some tuning in. 

“Shatter Me” by Tahereh Mafi 

“Shatter Me” was first published in 2011. Juliette Ferrars’s touch is fatal, causing her to get locked in prison for murder. Her ability could change the tide in an increasingly drastic situation, but she must decide if she is going to fight or allow herself to be used as a weapon. 

The series was originally meant to be a trilogy, but through various books and novellas, the series was long lasting, with the most recent book published in 2021. 

With fans revitalizing the series’ popularity through BookTok, a community on the social media platform TikTok, Mafi has announced her return to the world of “Shatter Me” with a spin-off series. The first book in the new series, “Watch Me,” is expected to be released on April 15, 2025. 

It will be interesting to see if other authors will continue their most popular series, milking as much content and dollars out of them as they can. 

Seeing the reemergence of popular childhood books either through movies or new books is just as exciting as it is nerve wracking. Personally, I know I want to see my favorite series handled well, whether that’s through faithful adaptations or letting the story end in a satisfying way. 

Going forward, more streaming services may try to mimic the success of these adaptations. The Disney+ TV show “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” and new “The Hunger Games” content make me hopeful for the future of the books I hold dear.  

Published in the Daily Nebraskan, read here.