Bio

When I was very small, before I could even read or write, my father and I would go for early morning walks on the weekend and Dad would tell me stories. I loved his stories even more than I loved the books my mother read to me, and during the week while he went to work, I would make up stories that I could tell him on our next walk. I soon realized that making up stories was what I wanted to do with my life, and I taught myself to read and write so I could write down my stories.

I wrote all through school (I discovered that spelling words could generate much better stories than sentences) and college (I wrote four novels, one for each year, and the fourth, SIMON SAYS, turned out to be good enough to ultimately get published - 25 years later!), and started writing for a community newspaper. I got a research fellowship to live in England for a year and research the murder of the Princes in the Tower, which later turned into my ghost story, TOURNAMENT OF TIME. I wrote more than 300 stories and articles for Cricket and Highlights and other children's magazines, but my heart was in books, and ultimately I published my first novel for young readers, THE GHOST CADET, in 1991. I've been doing what I love ever since.

Readers and other writers often ask me why I write for children and teenagers (usually in a tone that implies: When am I going to grow up enough to write for adult readers?). The answer is simple. I write to make sense out of my life and out of the world around me. I write to explore new ideas and to invite readers to explore those ideas along with me. I write to challenge assumptions. Children and teenagers are all for challenging assumptions and exploring new ideas, so they're my natural audience. And I have many more ideas I can't wait to share with them.

Visit Elaine Marie Alphin's Website
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BOOKS

An Unspeakable Crime- Young Adult Nonfiction
Carolrhoda, 2010
Awards & Honors:
*Junior Library Guild Selection
*Texas TAYSHAS List 2011 consideration
*2011 NCSS Carter G. Woodson Book Award Winner for the most distinguished social science books appropriate for young readers that reflect ethnicity in the United States (secondary age level)
*National Jewish Book Award Finalist in the Childrens and Young Adult Literature category
*Cybils Finalist in the Nonfiction Book (Middle Grade & Young Adult) category
*2011 Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Teens
*Society of School Librarians International Honor Book in the Social Studies - Grades 7-12 category

Ghost Cadet- Middle Grade Novel
Reissue, Boxing Day Books, 2010
Awards & Honors:
*Virginia State Reading Association Young Readers Award, 1995
*Meridian Magazine Children's Books: Top 14 Fiction Picks Ever, 2003
*State Award List Nominee: Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming, 1992-1997

Counterfeit Son - Young Adult Novel
Paperback Reprint, Harcourt, 2010
Awards & Honors:
*Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult Mystery, 2001
*Society of School Librarians International Honor Book, 2002
*YALSA Popular Paperbacks, 2003
*YALSA Quick Picks List, 2001
*Parent's Guide to Children's Media Young Adult Honor Book, 2002
*St. Louis Post Dispatch Best Books of 2000
*State Award List Nominee: Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas TAYSHAS List

Making the Leaves Talk - Elementary Fiction
“Award Reading Series,” Wendy Pye, 2008

Jelp - Elementary Fiction
“Award Reading Series,” Wendy Pye, 2008

The Perfect Shot - Young Adult Novel
Carolrhoda, 2005
Awards & Honors:
*Fore Ward Book of the Year Gold Medal Winner for Young Adult Fiction, 2006
*VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers, 2006
*Bank Street College Teen List, 2006
*New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age Mystery and Suspense, 2006
*Nebraska Golden Sower Young Adult Honor Book, 2008
*State Award List Nominee: Arizona, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri Tennessee
*Texas TAYSHAS List

Simon Says - Young Adult Novel
Paperback Reprint, Harcourt, 2005
Awards & Honors:
*Missouri Gateway Readers' Choice Award for Teens Masterlist, 2005
*Texas TAYSHAS Reading List
*Just One More Page - Wisconsin State Reading Association Children's Literature Committee Bibliography, 2003
*Connecticut Library Association Conference Bibliography: Best in YA Literature selection: Psychological Issues and Relationships, 2003

Dwight D. Eisenhower - Elementary Nonfiction
Lerner, 2005

I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight: A Story About John Paul Jones - Elementary Nonfiction
Lerner, 2004.
Awards & Honors:
*Bank Street College Selection for Best Children's Books, 2004

Dinosaur Hunter - an “I Can Read Chapter Book”
HarperCollins, 2003
Awards & Honors:
*Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, 2004
*Parent's Guide to Children's Media Outstanding Achievement, 2003

Picture Perfect - Young Adult Novel
Carolrhoda, 2003
Awards & Honors:
*VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Midle School Readers, 2004
*Texas Young Adult Round Table Lone Star Reading List, 2005

Germ Hunter: A Story About Louis Pasteur - Elementary Nonfiction
Lerner, 2003
Awards & Honors:
*Bank Street College Selection for Best Children's Books, 2003
*State Award List Nominee: Indiana

Power Reading Power Pak 6-B - Reading Comprehension Stories
National Reading Styles Institute, 2003

Time Travel Trap - Chapter Book
The Fiction Works, 2003

Simon Says - Young Adult Novel
Harcourt, 2002
Awards & Honors:
*Missouri Gateway Readers' Choice Award for Teens Masterlist, 2005
*Texas TAYSHAS Reading List
*Just One More Page - Wisconsin State Reading Association Children's Literature Committee Bibliography, 2003
*Connecticut Library Association Conference Bibliography: Best in YA Literature selection: Psychological Issues and Relationships, 2003

Davy Crockett - Elementary Nonfiction
Lerner, 2002

Power Reading Power Pac 2-C - Reading Comprehension Stories
National Reading Styles Institute, 2002

Ghost Soldier - Middle Grade Novel
Henry Holt, 2001
Awards & Honors:
*Society of Midland Authors Award for Children's Fiction, 2002
*Edgar Allan Poe Nominee for Best Juvenile Mystery, 2002
*Junior Library Guild Selection, 2001
*Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award Winner, 2004
*State Award List Nominee: Illinois, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas Operation R.I.G. Award Masterlist

Telephones - Elementary Nonfiction
Carolrhoda, 2001

Power Reading Power Pak 8-A - Reading Comprehension Stories
National Reading Styles Institute, 2001

Power Reading Power Pak 6-A - Reading Comprehension Stories
National Reading Styles Institute, 2001

Power Reading Power Pak 3-A - Reading Comprehension Stories
National Reading Styles Institute, 2001

Creating Characters Kids Will Love - Adult Nonfiction
Writer’s Digest Books, 2000

Toasters - Elementary Nonfiction
Carolrhoda, 1998
Awards & Honors:
"Book It" selection - An Amazing Century: A New Millennium

Irons - Elementary Nonfiction
Carolrhoda, 1998

Vacuum Cleaners - Elementary Nonfiction
Carolrhoda, 1997

A Bear For Miguel - an “I Can Read Book”
HarperCollins, 1996
Awards & Honors:
*Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) Commended List, 1996
*New Jersey Library Association Pick of the Decade 1996-2006 Best Books for Children Grades K-8
*New Jersey Garden State Award List, 2000

Tournament of Time - Middle Grade Novel
Bluegrass, 1994
Awards & Honors:
*Watson Foundation Fellowship Winner
*Mesa Historical Fiction Reading List: Middle Ages Through 15th Century, 1998

101 Bible Puzzles (co-author) - Adult Nonfiction/Activity
Standard, 1993

The Proving Ground - Middle Grade Novel
Henry Holt, 1992
Awards & Honors:
*ALA Recommended Book for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 1993