Julie Berry, 2009 MFA in WCYA

In 2019 alone, Printz Honor recipient Julie Berry released three picture books and a YA novel. The picture books—Long Ago, on a Silent Night (Orchard Books), Don’t Let the Beasties Escape this Book (Getty Publishing/Abrams), and Happy Right Now (Sounds True)—were published in quick succession in September and October and highlight Berry’s versatility, from a Christmas story, to a medieval adventure, to an exploration of human emotions.

And the versatility doesn’t stop there. Berry also released a YA romance novel, Lovely War (Viking Children’s Books), in March 2019. The novel has earned a place on numerous top-ten and best-of-the-year lists:

  • Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Books of 2019

  • New York Public Library 2019 Best Books for Adult

  • Kirkus Reviews Best YA Romances of 2019

  • Horn Book Fanfare Title 2019

  • BookPage Best Books of 2019 (#3 out of 10 books)

  • Shelf Awareness 2019 Best Children’s & Teen Books of the Year

  • 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards Semifinalist

  • TAYSHAS Top Ten Book

Berry’s earlier works include The Emperor’s Ostrich (Roaring Brook Press/Square Fish), The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place (Roaring Brook Press/Square Fish), All the Truth That’s in Me (Viking Children’s Books), and the Printz Honor Book The Passion of Dolssa (Penguin Books).