Carol Plum-Ucci facts for kids

Carol Plum-Ucci was born on August 16, 1957, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She is a writer who creates books for young adults. She also writes essays. Her most famous book is The Body of Christopher Creed. This book won the Michael L. Printz Award in 2002. It was also a finalist for the Edgar Allan Poe Award. Carol Plum-Ucci writes about teenagers and their feelings. She often uses the South Jersey shore as a setting for her exciting stories.

Discovering Carol Plum-Ucci's Life

Carol Plum-Ucci always knew she wanted to write books. She grew up in Brigantine, New Jersey. She went to public schools there until she was thirteen. Later, she attended Atlantic City Friends’ School. Her grandmother taught math at that school. Carol graduated from Holy Spirit High School in 1975.

Early Inspirations for Writing

Carol's father and grandmother owned funeral homes. She often heard sounds from downstairs at night. These sounds helped spark her imagination. She believes this time helped her become a writer.

Education and First Jobs

Carol Plum-Ucci went to Purdue University. She earned her degree in communication in 1979. While there, she was the feature editor for the Purdue Exponent newspaper. After college, she worked as a freelance writer in Chicago.

Later, she became involved with the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. She was an assistant to the producer. She also worked as a staff writer and director of publications. She created many publications each year for the organization. In 1999, Carol retired after selling her first novel. That book was The Body of Christopher Creed. She lives in Absecon, New Jersey.

Carol Plum-Ucci's Exciting Novels

Carol Plum-Ucci has written several popular books for young adults. Her stories often involve mystery and suspense. Here are some of her well-known novels:

• The Body of Christopher Creed, published in 2000.
• What Happened to Lani Garver, published in 2002.
• The She, published in 2003.
• The Night My Sister Went Missing, published in 2006.
• Streams of Babel, published in 2008.
• The Fire will fall, published in 2010.

Awards and Recognitions

Carol Plum-Ucci has received several awards for her writing. These awards show how much her books are enjoyed.

• In 2007, she was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for The Night My Sister Went Missing.
• In 2003, she was nominated for the Michael L. Printz Award for What Happened to Lani Garver.
• In 2001, she won the Michael L. Printz Award for The Body of Christopher Creed.