Ocean County native Megan McCafferty, creator of the best-selling “Jessica Darling” series, will take part in the Ocean County Library’s “Dive Into YA: It’s Not Just for Teens” virtual author chats, on Thursday, July 8, 6 p.m.

The discussion series aims to show how real issues, vivid writing, diverse characters and imaginative concepts propel young adult literature beyond traditional age categories.

The 48-year-old McCafferty, who grew up in Berkeley Township, earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Columbia…