I think the premise just makes people happy. The books that follow that premise get picked up faster and are more popularized. There has always been trash in young adult/teen fiction, and you have to dig for the good books.
As a recommendation, the novels aimed at kids by Brandon Sanderson are generally excellent. The superhero series even has a kid who, through use of training and his wits, takes on people with superpowers. The sci-fi novels have a touch more of ‘special because of who I am,’ but it’s not a big thing, just a pain point for the protagonist.
I love d&d because I grew up with it, but absolutely agree with you. I think that with new players, involving them in the world for roleplay is the most critical part, and character creation with Fate is the best I’ve seen for someone to pick up and use in 10 minutes.