Best-selling young adult novelist, UNC alum Sarah Dessen is back with a new book and a Netflix deal

Posted Jun 2, 2019
Over 23 years, Chapel Hill author Sarah Dessen has published 14 novels for young adults. As her books have become best-sellers, she has become a teen icon in the literary world, as well as online. Dessen, who will turn 49 next month, has racked up plenty of awards, too. Among them is the prestigious Margaret A. Edwards Award. (Durham Herald-Sun)

Related: Campus Connections

UNC students sled, ski and play in the snow: 'The vibe is joyous out here'
In true North Carolina snow day fashion, the streets of Chapel Hill were alive with groups of people sledding on cardboard slabs, attempting to make...
Tue Jan 27, 2026

The Story Behind That Perfect Final Scene in ESPN’s Stuart Scott ‘30 for 30’
The final scene in ESPN’s 30 for 30 “Boo-Yah: A Portrait of Stuart Scott” is a Top 10 highlight if I’ve ever seen one. And...
Sun Jan 25, 2026

UNC-Chapel Hill announces plans to develop campus extension in Carolina North
UNC is proud to announce the development of a new campus extension in Carolina North, a generational investment in its academic mission, public impact, and...
Wed Jan 21, 2026

He's Not Here postcard mural sends visitors lasting scenes of Chapel Hill's charm
In 2013, local Chapel Hill artist and UNC graduate Scott Nurkin completed the iconic Chapel Hill postcard mural by the back entrance of He’s Not...
Wed Jan 21, 2026