About Neal Shusterman
Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults, including Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award, Courage to Dream, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book, Scythe, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, the Unwind Dystology, which won more than thirty domestic and international awards, and the highly acclaimed novels, Dry, and Roxy which he co-wrote with his son, Jarrod For his body of work, Neal won the 2024 Margaret A. Edwards Award, and the ALAN Lifetime Achievement Award. His novel, Unwind, has become part of the literary canon in many school districts across the country-and has won more than thirty domestic and international awards. Many of his novels are in development as TV series and movies.
Shusterman has also received awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, and has garnered a myriad of state and local awards across the country. His talents range from film directing, to writing music and stage plays, and has even tried his hand at creating games.
Shusterman has earned a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. As a speaker, he is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give him a unique approach to writing, and his novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor. Neal lives in Jacksonville, Florida, but spends much of his time traveling the world speaking, exploring, and signing books for readers. . Visit Neal at www.storyman.com, facebook.com/NealShusterman, and on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @nealshusterman
A Word from the Author
When I was a kid, I wanted to be everything. A writer, an actor, a doctor, a rock star, an artist, an architect, and a film director. I had a teacher who said “You can’t do that ? you’ll be a jack of all trades and a master of none!” But I had it worked out: I’d be a jack of seven trades, and master of three.
Then, in ninth grade I had an English teacher who really made a difference in my life. She saw my love of writing, and challenged me to write a story a month for extra credit. Since I desperately needed extra credit in her class, I took her up on the challenge, and by the end of ninth grade, I really began to feel like a writer. That’s when writing emerged above all my other interests as my driving passion.
When I was sixteen, our family moved from Brooklyn, New York, to Mexico City, and I spent my last two years of High School there. Having an international experience changed my life, giving me a fresh perspective on the world, and a sense of confidence I might not have had otherwise.
Books & Awards
YEAR
bOOKS
aWARDS
2025
All Better Now
TBD
2024
Shock the Monkey
Junior Library Guild Selections, High Interest Selection, 2024
2024
Break to You
SLJ Best Books of the Year, Selection, 2024
2023
Courage to Dream
ALSC Notable Children's Books, 1995-2024,
Commended, 2024
Horn Book Fanfare, 2001-2024, Selection, 2023
2023
I Am the Walrus
Junior Library Guild Selections, High Interest Selection, 2023
2022
Gleanings: Stories from the Arc of a Scythe
Librarian Favorites Award, Selection, 2023 YALSA Teens' Top Ten, Finalist, 2023
2021
Game Changer
2021
Roxy
Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List Florida Teens Read Master List Florida Book Award Gold Medal, YA
2019
The Toll
Margaret A. Edwards Award, Winner, 2024
2018
Thunderhead
CCBC Choices: Selected by the Cooperative Children's Book Council,
Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Selection Title: A selection title for the Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year,
ALA/YALSA Teens' Top Ten List: A selection for the ALA/YALSA Teens' Top Ten List,
Wisconsin State Reading Association's Reading List: A selection for the Wisconsin State Reading Association's Reading List
2018
Dry
Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2011-2024, Selection, 2019
CCBC Choices, Selection,
2019 Green Earth Book Award, 2005-2024, Winner, 2019
Junior Library Guild Selections, 2012-2024,
High Interest Selection, 2019
Publishers Weekly Best Books, 2010-2024,
Young Adult Selection, 2018
2016
Hawking's Hallway
Junior Library Guild Selections, Mystery / Adventure Selection, 2016
2016
Scythe
ALA Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book,
ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults – Top Ten,
California Book Award Finalist,
Florida Teens Read Master List,
Green Mountain Book Award Master List (VT),
PEN USA Literary Award Finalist,
Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee,
North Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee,
Golden Cowbell Book Award Winner
2015
Edison's Alley
Junior Library Guild Selections, Mystery / Adventure Selection, 2015
2015
UnBound
Junior Library Guild Selections, Young Adult Selection, 2016
2015
Challenger Deep
National Book Award Winner,
National Book Award Finalist,
2017 James Cook Book Award Winner,
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators 2016 Golden Kite Winner,
A Top 10 book on YALSA’s 2016 Best Fiction for Young Adults list,
Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book,
Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year,
Kirkus Best Book of the Year,
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year,
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year,
New York Public Library Best Book of the Year for Teens,
Chicago Public Library Best Teen Book of the Year,
ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee,
Bookpage Best Teen Book of the Year, 2017
Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee,
STARRED REVIEW – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW – Booklist,
STARRED REVIEW – School Library Journal,
STARRED REVIEW – Kirkus,
STARRED REVIEW – Horn Book,
STARRED REVIEW – Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books,
2014
Tesla's Attic
YA winner of the 2016 CLAU Beehive Book Award,
One of El Banco del Libro’s Best Books for Children and Youth 2016,
2014 VOYA Magazine Top Shelf Honoree,
A Junior Library Guild Selection,
2014
UnDivided
2008 ALA Top Ten Picks for Reluctant Readers 2008
ALA Best Young Adult Book list 2010
Japanese Sakura Medal 2008
Bank Street Best Books of the Year
Nevada Young Reader Award WINNER 2010
Washington Evergreen YA Book award List WINNER WINNER OF 2010
Oklahoma Intermediate Sequoyah Award List Nominee for 2010
Oklahoma High School Sequoyah Award List 2009/2010
Texas Lonestar Award List 2009
Texas Tayshas Award List 2009/2010
Virginia Readers Choice Award WINNER 2009/2010
Indiana Rosewater High School Book Award WINNER 2010
Utah Beehive Award Nominee 2009/2010
Missouri Gateway Readers Award WINNER 2010
Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award List 2009/2010
Vermont Green Mountain Book Award 2010
Rhode Island Teen Book Award List 2010
Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award List 2009/2010
Georgia Peach Award List 2009/2010
Florida Teens Read Award List 2009/2010
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award List WINNER 2010-2011
One Book for Nebraska Teens WINNER 2010-2011
California Young Reader Medal Nomination
The United Kingdom Coventry Inspiration “Simply the Book” Award WINNER 2009/2010
Kentucky Bluegrass Award List 2010
South Dakota YARP Award List 2011
Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award WINNER 2010-2011
New Hampshire Isinglass Teen Reads Award List
NY Public Library “Books for the Teen Age” 2010
New Jersey Garden State Children’s Book Award Nominee 2010
Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award List 2011
Nutmeg Book Award Nominee WINNER
Vermont’s Green Mountain Book Award 2011
YALSA’s Popular Paperback Award List 2011
Iowa Teen Award List
Germany’s 2013 “Buxtehuder Bulle” Award — nomination
2013
Ship Out of Luck
Junior Library Guild Selections, Young Adult Selection, 2013
2013
UnSouled
Unwind Dystology Awards
2012
UnStrung
Unwind Dystology Awards
2012
UnWholly
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers Nominee
Children's Sequoyah Book Award Master List (OK)
Blue Spruce YA Book Award Nominee (CO)
ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults - Nominee
2011
Everfound
California Collections
2010
Bruiser
Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers, 2011
ALA-YALSA Quick Picks Award List, 2011
Washington DC Capitol Choices Award List, 2012
Utah Beehive Award, 2012
Florida Teen Reads Award List, Summer 2010
Indie Next List, 2009,
2011 Texas Lone Star Reading List,
Cooperative Children’s Book Center CCBC Choices,
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List nominee,
California Readers Book Collection—Middle School and High School collections, 2010
Book Page Top Ten Book of the Year, 2010
Capitol Choices “Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens”, 2011
Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year, 2011-2012
Georgia Peach Award nominee, 2011
Southern California Peggy Miller Young Adult Fiction Award, 2011
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award — Honor Book,
The Tennessee’s Volunteer State Award Lists, 2012
YALSA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults, 2012/13
Connecticut Nutmeg Award List, 2012
ALA/YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Award List, 2012 – 2013
Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award Nominee, 2012
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award List, 2013
Illinois Abe Lincoln Book Award Nominee, 2013
Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, 2013
Indiana Eliot Rosewater Award WINNER
2009
Everwild
California Collections
2008
Antsy Does Time
2009 Pensylvania School Library Association Young Adult Top 40 award list 2009
ALA Best Young Adult Book list 2009/2010
Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award List 2009/2010
Texas Lonestar Award List 2008
Junior Library Guild Selection 2010/2011
Oklahoma Sequoyah Award List 2012
Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee
2007
Unwind
2008 ALA Top Ten Picks for Reluctant Readers 2008
ALA Best Young Adult Book list 2010
Japanese Sakura Medal 2008
Bank Street Best Books of the Year Nevada Young Reader Award WINNER 2010
Washington Evergreen YA Book award List WINNER WINNER OF 2010
Oklahoma Intermediate Sequoyah Award List Nominee for 2010
Oklahoma High School Sequoyah Award List 2009/2010
Texas Lonestar Award List 2009
Texas Tayshas Award List 2009/2010
Virginia Readers Choice Award WINNER 2009/2010
Indiana Rosewater High School Book Award WINNER 2010
Utah Beehive Award Nominee 2009/2010
Missouri Gateway Readers Award WINNER 2010
Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award List 2009/2010
Vermont Green Mountain Book Award 2010
Rhode Island Teen Book Award List 2010
Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award List 2009/2010
Georgia Peach Award List 2009/2010
Florida Teens Read Award List 2009/2010
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award List WINNER 2010-2011
One Book for Nebraska Teens WINNER 2010-2011
California Young Reader Medal Nomination
The United Kingdom Coventry Inspiration “Simply the Book” Award WINNER 2009/2010
Kentucky Bluegrass Award List 2010
South Dakota YARP Award List 2011
Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award WINNER 2010-2011
New Hampshire Isinglass Teen Reads Award List
NY Public Library “Books for the Teen Age” 2010
New Jersey Garden State Children’s Book Award Nominee 2010
Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award List 2011
Nutmeg Book Award Nominee WINNER
Vermont’s Green Mountain Book Award 2011 Y
ALSA’s Popular Paperback Award List 2011
Iowa Teen Award List
2006
Duckling Ugly
2006
Everlost
2009 ALA Popular Paperback List 2009
Oklahoma Sequoyah Young Adult Award List 2009
Garden State Teen Book Award List 2008
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2008
VOYA – Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2008
International Reading Association Young Adult Choice List 2008/2009
Missouri Gateway Award List 2008
New York Public Library “Books for the Teenage.” 2007/2008
Georgia Peach Book Award List 2007
PEN USA Literary Award – Finalist 2007
Children’s Literature Council of Southern California “Fantastic Work of Fiction”
2005
Dread Locks
2005
Red Rider's Hood
2004
The Schwa Was Here
2005 Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Fiction 2007/2008
California Young Reader Medal Award – winner 2005
American Library Association – “Best Book” 2005 American Library Association – “Notable Book”
2006 International Reading Association – “Young Adult Choice” Award List 2007
Georgia Peach Award List 2008
Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award List 2007/2008
Indiana Young Hoosier Award List 2007
Oklahoma Sequoyah Award List 2007/2008
Nebraska Golden Sower Award List 2007
Rhode Island Teen Book Award 2005
Missouri Children’s Choice Award List 2007/2008
New Mexico Land of Enchantment Award List 2005/2006
Texas Lonestar Award 2006
Kentucky Bluegrass Book Award List 2006
Utah Beehive Award List 2006
Pennsylvania Young Readers Award List 2006
Tennessee Volunteer State Award List 2005/2006
Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award List 2006
California Readers: California Collection Award 2006
New York Public Library Best Book for Teens. 2010-2011
New Hampshire Isinglass Teen Reads Award List
2004
Full Tilt
American Library Association “Popular Paperbacks” 2005
International Reading Association – Young Adult Choice, 2005
New York Public Library Best Book For Teenagers Award List 2005
Minnesota Maud Hart Lovelace Award list 2005/2006
Nebraska Golden Sower Award List 2005/2006
Oklahoma Sequoyah Young Adult Award list 2005
Rhode Island Teen Book Award list 2005
South Dakota Prairie Pasque Young Adult Book Award list 2006
Texas Lonestar Award 2004/2005
Utah Beehive Award list 2004/2005
New Jersey Garden State Young Adult Book Award list, 2006
Connecticut Young Adult “Nutmeg” Award List, 2006
Ohio “Buckeye” Children’s Book Award List 2005/2006
Michigan – “Thumbs Up” Award List 2003
Baltimore “Great Books for Teens” List, 2003
Maryland Black-eyed Susan Award List, 2006
Nevada Young Readers Award list2006
South Carolina Young Adult Book Award list 2005/2006
California Readers Award List, 2004
Junior Library Guild featured selection 2003
2002
The Shadow Club Rising
2002
Shattered Sky
1999
Thief of Souls
1999
Downsiders
American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults List 2000
American Library Association “Quick Pick” 2000
Virginia Young Reader Award List 2001/2002
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award List 2001/2002
Nevada Student Book Award List 2001/2002
Indiana Young Hoosier Award List 2001/2002
Texas Lone Star Award, 2000/2001
New York Public Library “Best Book for Teens” Award list, 2000
South Dakota Prairie Pasque Young Adult Award List 2001/2001
Oklahoma Sequoyah Young Adult Award List 2001/2002
Iowa Children’s Choice Young Adult Award 2001/2002
Maine Student Book Award List 2001/2002
South Carolina Children’s Book Award List 2001/2002
Junior Library Guild selection, Spring 1999
#2 on the Barnes and Noble Teen Best Seller List, July 1999
1997
The Dark Side of Nowhere
00/01: Utah Children’s Book Award List
00/01: Illinois Rebecca Caudill Award List
00/0l: Indiana Young Hoosier Award list
00/01: Nebraska Golden Sower Award list
99/00: Texas Lone Star Award List
99/00: South Carolina Young-Adult Book Award List
99/00: Oklahoma Sequoyah Award List
99/00: California Young Reader Medal — nomination
98/99: Maine Student Book Award List
1999: Hal Clements Science Fiction Golden Duck Award (Young-Adult “Hugo”)
1999: Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People “Outstanding Book of the Year”
1998: American Library Association YALSA “Best Book for Young Adults”
1998: American Library Association YALSA “Quick Pick” – TOP TEN LIST
1995
Scorpion Shards
1992
The Eyes of Kid Midas
1991
Speeding Bullet
California Young Reader Medal Nominee, 1995 –96
New York Public Library's Best Book for Teens List