PW Daily reported yesterday that Nick Hornby is writing his first young adult novel, for his longtime publisher Penguin. Slam, about a boy who survives a teenage crush by hashing out the pangs of love with his idol Tony Hawk (or at least a one-dimensional version of the star, via a poster), will be released by the Penguin Young Readers Group in October. Riverhead (which regularly publishes Hornby’s adult fiction) and Penguin Young Readers will follow, in 2008, with simultaneous paperback editions.

“Our world-class young readers publishing program is perfectly positioned to take Nick’s new book to the top of the young adult market,” said Doug Whitehead, president of Penguin Young Readers Group. “We are proud to now have Nick among our list of national bestselling adult authors who have written books for a Y.A. audience.”