Melanie Crowder – författare

Love can be many things – all-consuming, fleeting, vengeful, selfless, toxic, uplifting, and always, a core part of the teen experience that leaves an indelible mark. This enchanting, genre-crossing anthology delivers something for every reader with unique characters, global settings, and a dazzling mixture of myth, historical, speculative, and contemporary fiction.With the turn of a page, get swept away by unexpected love blooming between two princes from enemy Mesoamerican nations in the 15th century, who'd rather make music rather than war; cheer for a timid bearded lady who was shunned by her family and runs away to find belonging and safety at the circus during the 1800s experience the heartbreak of saying goodbye to a beloved pet; breathlessly watch a myth unfold as a siren bound to the water falls in love with a winged forest spirit, their love seemingly impossible from the start. Root for a girl who emerges from grief and battles with chronic pain to discover how to love herself and life again. Love is complicated, and this anthology embraces the messiness and the joy of all kinds of love. Contributors include:Alexandra AlessandriDavid BowlesMelanie CrowderMargarita EngleEric GansworthRobin GowMariama J. LockingtonLaura RubyPadma VenkatramanJasmine WargaCharles WatersKip Wilson

A 2015 National Jewish Book Award finalistThe inspiring story of Clara Lemlich, whose fight for equal rights led to the largest strike by women in American history A gorgeously told novel in verse written with intimacy and power, Audacity is inspired by the real-life story of Clara Lemlich, a spirited young woman who emigrated from Russia to New York at the turn of the twentieth century and fought tenaciously for equal rights. Bucking the norms of both her traditional Jewish family and societal conventions, Clara refuses to accept substandard working conditions in the factories on Manhattan''s Lower East Side. For years, Clara devotes herself to the labor fight, speaking up for those who suffer in silence. In time, Clara convinces the women in the factories to strike, organize, and unionize, culminating in the famous Uprising of the 20,000.

Powerful, breathtaking, and inspiring, Audacity is the story of a remarkable young woman, whose passion and selfless devotion to her cause changed the world.   Praise for AUDACITY:A 2015 National Jewish Book Award finalistA Washington Post Best Children’s Books for April: Poetry EditionAn ILA Notable Book for a Global SocietyA 2016 NCTE Children''s Notable Verse NovelA New York Public Library Best Book for TeensAn ALA Top 10 Best Fiction for Young Adults PickAn ALSC Notable Children''s Book nomineeA BCCB Blue Ribbon winner * "Crowder breathes life into a world long past....Compelling, powerful and unforgettable." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review * "This book stands alone....an impactful addition to any historical fiction collection."--School Library Journal, starred review* "With a thorough historical note, glossary of terms, and bibliography, this will make an excellent complement to units on women’s rights and the labor movement, but it will also satisfy readers in search of a well-told tale of a fierce heroine."--BCCB, starred review* "This is an excellent title that can open discussions in U.S. history and economics courses about women’s rights, labor unions, and the immigrant experience."--School Library Connection, starred review "Based on the true story of Clara Lemlich, Audacity throbs with the emotions of this exceptional young woman who fought for equal rights and improved labor standards in factories. Melanie Crowder’s verses spit out Clara’s rage, cradle her longing and soar like the birds that are her constant companions."--Bookpage   “Crowder’s (Parched) use of free verse in this fictionalization of Russian-Jewish immigrant Clara Lemlich’s life brings a spare poignancy to a familiar history.”--Publishers Weekly"Brilliant, riveting, informative." —Cynthia Levinson, critically acclaimed author of We''ve Got a Job “Audacity is an evocative reimagining of a fascinating historical figure who should be remembered for her determination in the face of great odds and powerful opposition—and for her role in changing America. Melanie Crowder’s powerful verse reveals a long-past world, but the combination of hope and outrage that Clara Lemlich brought to her struggle should be both recognizable and inspirational to teen readers longing to right the injustices of our day.”—Margaret Peterson Haddix, critically acclaimed, bestselling author of Uprising

Modern history unearthed as a boy becomes an innocent victim of corruption in Bolivia''s crime world, where the power of family is both a prison and a means of survival.It''s 1999 in Bolivia and Francisco''s life consists of school, soccer, and trying to find space for himself in his family''s cramped yet boisterous home. But when his father is arrested on false charges and sent to prison by a corrupt system that targets the uneducated, the poor, and the indigenous majority, Francisco and his sister are left with no choice: They must move into prison with their father. There, they find a world unlike anything they''ve ever known, where everything—a door, a mattress, protection from other inmates—has its price. Prison life is dirty, dire, and dehumanizing. With their lives upended, Francisco faces an impossible decision: Break up the family and take his sister to their grandparents in the Andean highlands, fleeing the city and the future within his grasp, or remain together in the increasingly dangerous prison. Pulled between two undesirable options, Francisco must confront everything he once believed about the world and his place within it. In this heart-wrenching novel, Melanie Crowder sheds light on a little-known era of modern South American history—where injustice still looms large—and proves that hope can be found, even in the most desperate places.Perfect for fans of Ruta Sepetys, Matt de la Pena, and Jacqueline Woodson.Praise for An Uninterrupted View of the Sky:★ "Crowder delivers a disturbing portrait of innocent families trapped in corrupt systems, as well as a testament to the strength of enduring cultural traditions and the possibility of finding family in the unlikeliest places."—Publishers Weekly, starred review★ "Readers will feel utterly invested in Francisco''s various challenges...A riveting, Dickensian tale."—Kirkus, starred review★ "Themes of poverty, social injustice...violence toward women, coming-of-age, romantic love, and a sliver of precarious hope are woven into the plot...[An] important addition to libraries."—School Library Journal, starred review"[A] trenchant novel...This hard-hitting, ultimately hopeful story will open readers’ eyes to a lesser-known historical moment and the far-reaching implications of U.S. policy."—Booklist"[This novel] is raw, gripping, poetic and bold....Crowder takes you on an emotional pilgrimage that you won’t want to end."—RT Book Reviews, five-starred reviewPraise for Audacity:2015 National Jewish Book Award finalistWashington Post Best Children’s Poetry BookNew York Public Library Best Book for TeensILA Notable Book for a Global SocietyALA Top 10 Best Fiction for Young Adults PickALSC Notable Children''s Book nominee★ "Crowder breathes life into a world long past...Compelling, powerful and unforgettable."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ "[An] impactful addition to any historical fiction collection."—School Library Journal, starred review★ "With a thorough historical note, glossary of terms, and bibliography, this will make an excellent complement to units on women’s rights and the labor movement, but it will also satisfy readers in search of a well-told tale of a fierce heroine."—BCCB, starred review★ "This is an excellent title that can open discussions in U.S. history and economics courses about women’s rights, labor unions, and the immigrant experience."—School Library Connection, starred review

In a small river village where the water is cursed, a girl’s bravery could mean the difference between life and death in this magical story of “perseverance and hope” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) from the author of Parched and Audacity.Along a lively river, in a village raised on stilts, lives a girl named Luna. All her life she has heard tales of the time before the dam appeared, when sprites danced in the currents and no one got the mysterious wasting illness from a mouthful of river water. These are just stories, though—no sensible person would believe in such things. Beneath the waves is someone who might disagree. Perdita is a young water sprite, delighting in the wet splash and sparkle, and sad about the day her people will finally finish building their door to another world, in search of a place that humans have not yet discovered. But when Luna’s little sister falls ill with the river sickness, everyone knows she has only three weeks to live. Luna is determined to find a cure for her beloved sister, no matter what it takes. Even if that means believing in magic…

A girl in foster care tries to find her birth mother before she loses her forever in this “tender tale” (School Library Journal, starred review) about last chances and new opportunities.For a kid bouncing from foster home to foster home, The Book of Changes is the perfect companion. That’s why Marin carries three pennies and a pocket-sized I Ching with her everywhere she goes. Yet when everything in her life suddenly starts changing—like landing in a foster home that feels like somewhere she could stay, maybe forever—the pennies don’t have any answers for her. Marin is positive that all the wrongs in her life will be made right if only she can find her birth mother and convince her that they belong together. Marin is close, oh so close—until she gets some unwelcome news and her resolve, like the uneasy earth far beneath the city of San Francisco, is shaken.

Meet the winds of the world in this beautifully illustrated collection of poems from MIT Kids Press.Journey across the world and discover the many different winds in this enchanting poetic picture book. Meet Italy's swaggering Maestro who sweeps along the coast on hot summer days; join the penguins in Antarctica as the icy Katabatic blusters and blows; and hear the resounding BOOM and CLASH of the Sumatra Squall. Each spread includes scientific information on how each wind is formed, where it blows and the weather systems it heralds. With charming illustrations by an award-winning artist, this is a fascinating picture book to inspire wonder.

“Readers will cheer…a fast read that ends too soon.” —Kirkus Reviews Griffin must traverse dangerous new worlds if he hopes to save his father from a peril that threatens all of humanity in this fantastical novel from the acclaimed author of A Nearer Moon.Griffin and his father tend to their lighthouse on the craggy coast of Oregon with the same careful routine each day. There are hardly ever any visitors, but they like it that way. Which is why, when a group of oddly dressed strangers suddenly appears, Griffin begins to see just how many secrets his father has been keeping. He never imagined that his lighthouse contains a portal to strange and dangerous worlds, or that a Society of Lighthouse Keepers exists to protect the Earth from a fearsome enemy invasion. But then Griffin’s dad is pulled through the lens of the lighthouse into one of those other worlds. With his father gone, nobody from the Society is giving Griffin any answers, so he’s on his own. Armed only with a book of mysterious notes from his parents, Griffin is determined to find his dad, no matter what dangers lurk on the other side of the portal.

Griffin and Fi continue on their quest to save all worlds from invasion in this fantastical follow-up to The Lighthouse between the Worlds, which Kirkus Reviews called “a fast read that ends too soon.”There is more than just one world—and all of them are in grave danger. After a narrow escape from the battle-torn world of Somni, Griffin and his fierce, newfound ally Fi find themselves at the center of a war that threatens not only the people of Earth, but those of other worlds entirely. Connected by the lighthouse that acts as a portal, each world harbors a unique kind of magic that the greedy rulers of Somni are determined to capture for themselves. Unless Griffin and Fi can find a way to stop these would-be conquerors, everything they hold dear will be lost. Navigating magical worlds of mist, water, vines, and fire in search of an answer, the two friends will have to discover their own gifts before they can save not only themselves but the worlds—every single one of them.