Cat Clarke was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people. She's written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes young adult novels. She also has her own blog.
Cat's first YA novel, Entangled – a story of dangerous secrets and electrifying attraction told through the eyes of 17-year-old Grace – was published by Quercus in January 2011.
"There's nothing I like better than settling down with a book about teenagers doing something they shouldn't. No one wants to read about teenagers going to school, behaving impeccably in class, then going home and being polite to their parents ... repeat and yawn. I want to read about the bad kids, the misunderstood kids, the interesting kids. I defy anyone to yawn over any of these: my top 10 books with teens behaving badly ... "
1. Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
The ever-amazing Courtney Summers shows just how terrifying teenage girls can be with the Fearsome Fivesome, a Heathers-style gang of girls who rule the school and turn against one of their own with a viciousness that makes you wince. This book will catapult you straight back to your school years, and might even make you wonder whether you should have been a little nicer ...
2. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Teen hackers in futuristic San Francisco desperately cling to their civil liberties in a sinister Orwellian society. I fell in love with this book even though I didn't understand half (OK, more than half) of the techno-speak. Apparently you're not supposed to trust anyone over 25, so that's me told.
3. Accomplice by Eireann Corrigan
Getting a place at a top university can be tricky for American teenagers, but what better way to stand out from the crowd than by faking your own abduction and subsequently appearing on all the talk shows along with your best friend, who "rescued" you? What could possibly go wrong? Er ... a lot. The dynamic between Chloe and Finn is fascinating, and the sense of impending doom that pervades the book is almost unbearable.
4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
A bunch of teenagers brutally slaughter one another. Sure, it's not exactly their fault – the government forces them to fight to the death. But some of these kids definitely enjoy it a little bit too much. This book introduces one of my favourite kick-ass heroines – the wonderfully monikered Katniss Everdeen. The Hunger Games is the first (and best, in my opinion) book in a stunning trilogy.
5. Wasted by Nicola Morgan
An unsettling book about fate, chance and how leaving the house five minutes earlier or five minutes later could change your life forever. Jack makes his decisions on the toss of a coin, an idea I find strangely appealing. The reader even gets to join in by flipping a coin to choose the book's ending (oh, the power!).
6. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Mean Girls meets Groundhog Day. Sam Kingston dies in a car crash on the way home from a party. But then she wakes up on the morning of the party – again and again. A book that makes you think hard about your own life, and how your actions affect those around you. Definitely one of my favourite reads of 2010.
7. Ember Fury by Cathy Brett
There I was, thinking that you really don't see enough YA books about pyromania, when along came Ember Fury! When emo kid Ember gets angry (usually because of her useless rock-star dad) she sets fire to stuff. And when things get too much for her, Ember's best friend Ned takes the story in an entirely unexpected direction – which is all I can say without spoiling it for you. Quirky illustrations and innovative design make this book stand out from the crowd.
8. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Melinda becomes a social outcast at high school after calling the police at a party. Her former friends ditch her and she retreats into a world of silence. Speak is often taught in US schools, and has attracted the attention of the book-banning brigade – people who think teenagers shouldn't be allowed to read about issues that might actually affect their lives. Of course, this just makes me want to shout even louder about how important and brilliant this book is: IT IS BRILLIANT! READ IT!
9. When I Was Joe by Keren David
Fourteen-year-old Ty goes into witness protection, changes his identity and transforms into the much cooler, edgier Joe. There's knife crime, gangsters, and even a bit of romance thrown in for good measure. This book is impossible to put down, and it's almost scary how well David manages to inhabit the mind of a teenage boy. A pacy thriller from the master of cliffhanger chapter endings.
10. The Disreputable History of Frankie Laudau-Banks by E Lockhart
High jinks at a fancy-pants American boarding school. OK, so these teenagers aren't behaving really badly, but this book manages to sneak into my top 10 all the same. Frankie has, er, blossomed over the summer holidays and suddenly finds herself on the arm of the hot boy she's fancied for ages. The trouble is, Matthew belongs to a boys-only secret society who perpetrate all manner of elaborate pranks, and our fearless heroine wants in on the action. If I were the type of person to shout "Girl power!" I'd probably do that now. But I'm not, so I won't.
