Elana K. Arnold

Last updated
Elana K. Arnold
OccupationAuthor
NationalityAmerican
Website
elanakarnold.com

Elana Kuczynski Arnold is an American children's and young adult author. Her 2017 novel What Girls Are Made Of was a finalist for the 2017 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, [1] [2] and her 2018 novel Damsel was named a Michael L. Printz Award Honor title in 2019. [3] [4]

Contents

In 2022, three of Arnold's books (Damsel, Red Hood, and What Girls Are Made Of ) were listed among 52 novels banned by the Alpine School District following the implementation of Utah H.B. 374, “Sensitive Materials In Schools." [5]

Biography

Arnold obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Literature from University of California, Irvine. [6] In 1998, she Master of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of California, Davis. [7] [6]

Arnold now teaches with Hamline University's Master of Fine Arts program focusing on Writing for Children and Young Adults. [8]

She lives in Southern California. [8]

Awards and honors

Nine of Arnold's book are Junior Library Guild selections: A Boy Called Bat (2017), [9] Bat and the Waiting Game (2018), [10] Damsel (2018), [11] Bat at the End of Everything (2019), [12] The House That Wasn't There (2021), [13] Red Hood (2021), [14] Starla Jean (2021), [15] and Just Harriet (2022). [16]

In 2021, Publishers Weekly named Red Hood one of the top ten young adult novels of the year. [14]

Awards for Arnold's writing
YearTitleAwardResultRef
2015InfaduousMoonbeam Children's Book Award for Young Adult Fiction - GeneralWinner [17]
2016 Amelia Bloomer Book List Selection [18]
Westchester Fiction AwardWinner [19]
2017What Girls Are Made Of California Book Award Finalist [8]
National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalist [8]
2018 Amelia Bloomer Book List Selection [20]
Damsel Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for YouthSelection [21]
2019 Amelia Bloomer Book List Top 10 [22] [23]
Michael L. Printz Award Honor [3] [4]
2021Red Hood Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Selection [24]
Amelia Bloomer Book List Top 10 [25]

Publications

Young adult novels

Middle grade books

A Boy Called Bat series

  • A Boy Called Bat (2017)
  • Bat and the Waiting Game (2018)
  • Bat and the End of Everything (2019)
  • Bat and the Business of Ferrets (2025)

Starla Jean series

  • Starla Jean, illustrated by A. N. Kang (2021)
  • Starla Jean Takes the Cake (2022)
  • Starla Jean Cracks the Case (2023)

Picture books

Reception

In 2024 the Republican-dominated Utah Legislature passed a law [26] mandating the removal of books deemed objectionable from all Utah public schools (including charter schools). On 2 August 2024 the Utah State School Board released its first list of banned books. Elana K. Arnold's young adult novel What Girls Are Made Of was on this list. [27]

Banning

In 2024 the book Infandus was banned in Texas by the Katy Independent School District on the basis that the novel is "adopting, supporting, or promoting gender fluidity" [28] despite also pronouncing a bullying policy that protects infringements on the rights of the student. [29]

References

  1. ↑ Charles, Ron (October 4, 2017). "Jesmyn Ward and David Grann among finalists for National Book Awards". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  2. ↑ Ramstad, Evan (November 11, 2017). "For family-owned Lerner Publishing, accolades and internal change mark a watershed year". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
  3. 1 2 "Michael L. Printz Winners and Honor Books". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2007-03-15. Archived from the original on 2022-08-07. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  4. 1 2 Communications and Marketing Office (2019-01-28). "The Poet X Wins 2019 Printz Award". American Library Association . Archived from the original on 2021-11-28. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  5. ↑ "Ban on 52 Books in Largest Utah School District is a Worrisome Escalation of Censorship". PEN America. 2022-08-01. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  6. 1 2 "Elana K. Arnold (she/her)". The Author Village. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  7. ↑ "Creative Writing Grad Finalist for National Book Award". College of Letters and Science. University of California, Davis. October 5, 2017. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Elana K. Arnold". National Book Foundation. Archived from the original on 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  9. ↑ "A Boy Called Bat (Audiobook) by Elana K. Arnold". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  10. ↑ "Bat and the Waiting Game by Elana K. Arnold". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  11. ↑ "Damsel by Elana K. Arnold". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  12. ↑ "Bat and the End of Everything by Elana K. Arnold". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  13. ↑ "The House That Wasn't There by Elana K. Arnold". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  14. 1 2 "Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  15. ↑ "Starla Jean by Elana K. Arnold". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  16. ↑ "Just Harriet by Elana K. Arnold". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  17. ↑ "2015 Winners". Moonbeam Children's Book Awards. 7 November 2015. Archived from the original on 2022-07-30. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  18. ↑ "Infandous | Awards & Grants". American Library Association . 2019-03-05. Archived from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  19. ↑ "Westchester Fiction Award". Westchester Fiction Award. Archived from the original on 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  20. ↑ "What Girls Are Made Of | Awards & Grants". American Library Association . 2019-02-28. Archived from the original on 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  21. ↑ "Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2018". Booklist. 2019-01-01. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  22. ↑ "Damsel | Awards & Grants". American Library Association . 2019-03-01. Archived from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  23. ↑ Jarnagin, Briana (2019-02-01). "2019 Amelia Bloomer List presents top ten feminist books for young readers". News and Press Center. Archived from the original on 2021-04-24. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  24. ↑ "2021 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2021-01-04. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  25. ↑ Chapman, Monica (2021-04-20). "2021 Rise Book Project presents Top Ten feminist books for young readers". American Library Association . Archived from the original on 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  26. ↑ Libbey Hanson (29 March 2024). "Book Banning Bill H.B. 29". The Daily Utah Chronicle. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  27. ↑ "These are the 13 books now banned statewide from Utah schools". KUER. 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  28. ↑ "Home".
  29. ↑ "Home".
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