The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton was written and published in 1967 and is still read by teens and adults today. How has this book been so popular for over 47 years? It was because of the amazing story of a young boy and his friends. It tells the story of a boy who faces events that change his life. Although this story is classified as fiction this story can actually happen in real life. Another reason this has been read by so many teens and adults over the past 47 years was because it was written by a teenager and is told in the perspective of a teenager. This book is one of the few books that was actually written by a teenager. People were actually surprised that a teenager could write a book like The Outsiders and the way she writes. When asked why the book has been so popular, Hinton said "Every teenager feels that adults have no idea what's gong on. That's exactly the way I felt when I wrote The Outsiders.".
Adults could understand the teen's mind when reading this book and the challenges one might face. At many middle schools and high schools, students are required to read this book in class. The book has received so many positive reviews and is one reason why teachers have their students read the book today. This book was so inspiring that students from Lone Star Middle High School signed a petition to have Francis Ford Coppola turn The Outsiders into a movie. The students loved the book so much they had it turned into a movie for more people to see. This book has been a phenomena for over 45 years and has changed the lives of not only teenagers but also adults.