Norma Howe, an author of lighthearted, young-adult novels that tackled age-old philosophical questions – such as whether free will exists and the conflict between faith and reason – died April 19 of thyroid cancer. She was 81.

Married in college, Mrs. Howe stayed home with her children after earning an English degree at San Jose State University while her husband taught high school in San Bernardino. She started writing confession tales for True Story and Modern Romances magazines before the family moved to Sacramento in 1962.

After her children were grown, she wrote and published eight novels and two short stories for young adults. Her first novel, "God, the Universe and Hot Fudge Sundaes," about a teenager who questions her religion after her sister is diagnosed with a terminal illness, was made into a 1986 after-school television special on CBS.

In her 1999 novel, "The Adventures of Blue Avenger," a 16-year-old boy who draws a comic strip takes on the identity of his superhero. Besides rescues, romance and humor, the story offers a look at social issues including handgun violence and asks whether life events – such as becoming a superhero – are choices or destiny.

The book was well received and led to "Blue Avenger Cracks the Code" in 2000 and "Blue Avenger and the Theory of Everything" in 2002. Her last novel, "Angel in Vegas: The Chronicles of Noah Sark," was published in 2009.

Mrs. Howe received favorable reviews for witty, honest and well-written novels and stories that are thought-provoking and entertaining for young people and their parents. She told The Bee that she enjoyed writing for young people because she identified with their age group.

"I'm a tomboy and have the feeling I never really grew up," she said in 1991. "Somehow, I got stuck at about age 13."

Norma Claire Nadeau was born in 1930 in San Jose. She was married for 60 years and had seven children with her husband, Robert L. Howe, who retired as a state Department of Education administrator. She was predeceased by a son, Douglas.

Mrs. Howe was a well-read, charming woman with a playful nature. She went out almost daily with her husband for coffee and doughnuts or to share a banana split or ice cream sundae. Although neither smoked, they collected more than 20,000 advertising ashtrays as souvenirs.

She had a keen eye for small, everyday events that turned up in her fiction. She traveled often to Italy and other European locations where her stories were set.

Like "Blue Avenger," she questioned who wrote the plays and sonnets attributed to William Shakespeare and attended conferences of the Shakespeare Authorship Research Centre at Concordia University in Portland, Ore.

"Over the years, she said The Sacramento Bee had never reviewed any of her works," her husband said. "It looks like she's finally getting that review. She'd be pleased."

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