Many great Young Adult books are getting adaptations, and these are the TV shows we’re most looking forward to seeing. Although the genre is frequently discredited, young adult books have led to some of the best stories brought to the screen.
Some of the most iconic franchises of all time were originally created as books for younger audiences. Plus, many of the YA movies and TV shows are even better than the source material. This just goes to show that young adult fiction has just as much merit as adult fiction.
While there are many book adaptations to get excited about, these six YA novels are being turned into TV shows, and we can’t wait to see them.
6
Firekeeper’s Daughter
Before the book was even released, Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley was optioned by the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions company for a Netflix TV show. After its release, it went on to win the 2022 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best New Young Adult novel and become a New York Times bestseller.
The book follows Daunis Fontaine, an 18-year-old Ojibwe girl with one Native parent and one White parent. She struggles to feel at home in either community. However, she must reconnect with the reservation while reluctantly going undercover after she witnesses her best friend’s murder and gets wrapped up in an FBI drug investigation.
Firekeeper’s Daughter is a particularly exciting story because, as the author describes, it has an “indigenous Nancy Drew” feeling (via Rolling Stone). YA mysteries are having a big moment right now. On top of that, the story adds to the growing catalog of Native stories told by Native people. Boulley made it clear that native voices would be involved both in front of and behind the camera.
5
The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice & Virtue
One of the most exciting YA books that’s slated to come to the screen is The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. The historical drama, set in 18th-century Europe, follows the bisexual British Lord Henry Monty Montague, who embarks on a tour of Europe with his best friend Percy, whom he secretly loves. The premise sounds entertaining, romantic, and adventurous.
Unfortunately, the TV show is stuck in hardcore development hell, and it might have been shelved based on how long it has been since we received any updates. Initially, the news was for a TV show with Warner Bros.
The last time we had an update, it was the announcement that HBO Max picked up The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue. However, HBO Max switched it from a TV show to a movie. Greg Berlanti came on board as the producer, and Matthew Barry was announced as the writer.
Unfortunately, we know nothing more than that. If it does even still happen, it’s unclear whether it would be a TV show or movie, and who would be involved.
4
Blue Bloods
The late 2000s and early 2010s brought about a vampire craze across TV shows, movies, and books. While it has mostly died down, the upcoming Blue Bloods TV show (no relation to the existing cop series) has the potential to reignite the passion for the vampire fantasy subgenre.
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz is set against the backdrop of New York City, where an elite immortal vampires who secretly rule the city. However, they are facing the threat of an ancient, evil breed of vampires who may have kidnapped one of their members.
The main story follows a 17-year-old human-vampire hybrid named Sky, who is the first of her kind. Though she was once exiled, she now must find her place in the Dechusne Institute and the Blue Bloods’ society.
The series is exciting for so many reasons. Firstly, the book series has nine novels to work with, plus companion stories. There is no shortage of source material to work with. On top of that, one of the executive producers is Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, who worked on The Spiderwick Chronicles and Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Finally, the author is an EP, and will work closely to adapt the series.
3
This Is My America
The powerful and poignant YA book This Is My America by Kim Johnson is a frequently challenged and banned book because it explores themes of racism, mass incarceration and the justice system. However, it has been picked up for a TV show, which will give the story a larger reach.
The story follows a 17-year-old black girl named Tracy Beaumont who sets out to prove her father’s innocence before he’s put to death after being wrongfully incarcerated. He only has nine months to live. Unfortunately, as she’s working to save her father, her brother Jamal, who has a bright future ahead of him, gets accused of murdering a white girl. To save her father and her brother, Tracy must dive into the racist past of her small Texas town.
This award-winning novel is beautifully written and still extremely relevant. The TV adaptation of This Is My America will have a high bar to reach. Luckily, the story has a great team behind it. Executive producers Schwartz and Savage have worked on successful teen dramas, such as Gossip Girl and Nancy Drew. What’s more, Jessica Watson, the writer and EP worked on Single Drunk Female and wrote for Harlem.
The only bad news is that the development has stalled over time. Given the current political climate, it might be a while before this goes into production.
2
An Ember In The Ashes
Of all the exciting upcoming adaptations, the one that has been in the works for the longest is An Ember in the Ashes, based on the book by Sabaa Tahir. It’s one of the many fantasy shows stuck in development hell. Paramount picked up the rights in 2014, and it has been crickets since then. However, because of how incredible the book is, it still had to be included in this list.
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An Ember In The Ashes Books |
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|---|---|
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An Ember in the Ashes |
2015 |
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A Torch Against The Night |
2016 |
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A Reaper at the Gates |
2018 |
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A Sky Beyond the Storm |
2020 |
An Ember in the Ashes is the ultimate YA historical fantasy novel set in the Martial Empire, which was heavily inspired by ancient Rome. The story follows Laia, a slave, and her brother Elias, a soldier, who are fighting to gain their freedom and end the oppression of the Martial Empire. Surprisingly, despite being YA, it maintains brutality and violence.
The book has everything necessary to be a great TV show. The worldbuilding is incredible, the fights are excellently choreographed on the page, and there are so many exciting subplots. If they still have the rights, Paramount needs to jump at the chance to finally bring this to the small screen.
1
The Ring & The Crown
Blue Bloods isn’t the only Melissa de la Cruz fantasy book getting adapted for the small screen. The author’s YA novel The Ring & The Crown was picked up by Disney+ for a TV show as well. Disney and de la Cruz previously worked together, with the author writing the Descendants prequel novel, The Isle of the Lost, for them.
While Blue Bloods focuses on vampires, The Ring & The Crown delves into old magic and Arthurian lore. The story follows multiple characters across different ancient kingdoms, though the two most prominent individuals are Princess Marie-Victoria, the heir apparent to the most powerful empire, and Aelwyn Myrddyn, a mage born out of wedlock who is forced into servitude.
There are plenty of arranged marriages, secret romances, fights, betrayals, and political conflicts to go around. Plus, the world is filled with magic. For these reasons, The Ring & The Crown frequently gets compared to Game of Thrones, except YA.
Luckily, the show has powerhouse showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen J. Berg to lead the adaptation. The duo have produced many successful shows, including Revenge and Reign. This experience will lend itself well to the historical, political fantasy story. While we don’t have many recent updates, the likelihood of this show getting made is higher considering Disney’s past with de la Cruz.
