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Jenny Torres Sanchez is an American writer of young adult fiction.
Biography
editSanchez was born in Brooklyn, New York.[1] Her mother is from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, and her father is from El Salvador.[1] Around age three, Sanchez and her family moved to Uniondale on Long Island, where they lived for seven years before moving to Orlando, Florida."[1] Sanchez currently lives in Orlando with her husband and children.[2]
She received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Central Florida[3] and attempted to receive a Master of Arts in Creative Writing, but she was rejected four times.[1]
Sanchez initially taught English language arts[4] but left her job to help care for her second son, who showed developmental delays at 15 months old.[1] During this time, she began focusing on her writing her first novel, The Downside of Being Charlie, which was published in 2012.[1]
Much of Sanchez's writing discusses difficult topics. She has stated that she hopes her books allow people going through troubling times to "help them know that the human condition is one made up of so many things: love, pain, elation, tragedy. And no matter what your situation, there are others out there who probably understand, or empathize, with what someone is going through."[2] Even for readers who cannot relate to the material, Sanchez hopes to "foster sympathy among other readers—who might not have serious difficulties to deal with—for those teens who do."[1]
Awards and honors
editSanchez's books have received multiple awards and honors.
Kirkus Reviews included the following books on their year-end lists of the best young adult fiction: Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia (2013);[5] The Fall of Innocence (2018);[6] and We Are Not from Here (2020).[7][8]
| Year | Title | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Because of the Sun | Florida Book Award for Young Adult Literature | Gold | [3] |
| 2021 | We Are Not From Here | Pura Belpré Award for Author | Finalist | [9] |
| American Library Association's Best Fiction for Young Adults | Top 10 | [10] | ||
| 2024 | The Collectors: Stories | Michael L. Printz Award | Winner | [11] |
Publications
editBooks
edit- The Downside of Being Charlie (2012)
- Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia (2013)
- Because of the Sun (2017)
- The Fall of Innocence (2018)
- We Are Not From Here (2020)
- With Lots of Love, illustrated by Andres Ceolin (2022)
Short stories and essays
edit- "In the Past" in Hope Nation: YA Authors Share Personal Moments of Inspiration, edited by Rose Brock (2018)
- "Is Something Bothering You?" in Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real About Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing Up Female in America, edited by Amy Reed (2018)
- "A Small Light" in Battle of the Bands, edited by Lauren Gibaldi and Eric Smith (2021)
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Goddu, Krystyna Poray (2020-05-05). "Q & A with Jenny Torres Sanchez". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ a b Henry, Racquel (2017-01-16). "An Interview with Jenny Torres Sanchez - Racquel Henry". Burrow Press. Archived from the original on 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ a b "Alumna Jenny Torres Sanchez awarded Kirkus Star". College of Arts and Humanities | University of Central Florida. Archived from the original on 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ "Jenny Torres Sanchez". LAS MUSAS BOOKS. Archived from the original on 2022-10-04. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ "Best of 2013". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ "Best of 2018". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ "We Are Not from Here". Kirkus Reviews. 2020-02-26. Archived from the original on 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ "Best of 2020". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2023-04-13. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ "We Are Not from Here | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. April 20, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
- ^ "2021 Top Ten Best Fiction". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2021-01-14. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
- ^ "'The Collectors: Stories' wins 2024 Printz Award | ALA". www.ala.org. Retrieved 2024-10-16.