Dhonielle Clayton facts for kids

Dhonielle Clayton (born 1983) is an American author who writes exciting books for young adults. She also helps run an organization called We Need Diverse Books. This group works to make sure books have characters from all different backgrounds. Dhonielle has written many popular book series, including The Belles (2018-2023). She also worked with other famous authors like Tiffany D. Jackson, Angie Thomas, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon to write the book Blackout (2021).

About Dhonielle Clayton

Early Life and School

Dhonielle Clayton was born in Washington, D.C. She went to high school at Our Lady Of Good Counsel in Wheaton, Maryland. After high school, she went to college at Wake Forest University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree there in 2005. Later, she continued her studies and received a Master of Arts degree from Hollins University in 2008. She also earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from The New School in 2012. This means she studied a lot about how to write amazing stories!

Her Work Beyond Writing

Besides writing her own books, Dhonielle Clayton does a lot to help other books get made. She runs two companies called Cake Creative and Electric Postcard Entertainment. These companies help create and publish books.

She is also a very important leader at We Need Diverse Books. This organization works hard to make sure that books for kids and teens show characters from all different backgrounds and experiences. Dhonielle believes it's important for everyone to see themselves in the stories they read.

She also works as a "sensitivity reader" for children's books. This means she reads books to make sure they are fair and real, especially when they feature Black characters. She helps authors avoid stereotypes and make sure their stories are true to life. Dhonielle has always spoken up for books to include more people of color.

In 2019, Dhonielle started a podcast called Deadline City with fellow author Zoraida Córdova. On their podcast, they talk about how books get published and share their own experiences in the world of writing.

Dhonielle Clayton's Books

Tiny Pretty Things Series (2015–2023)

Dhonielle Clayton co-wrote the Tiny Pretty Things series with Sona Charaipotra. The first book came out in 2015. This series is about three teenage ballet dancers who go to a special dance school in New York. A book review from Kirkus said the first book was "a page-turner with heart." This means it was exciting and also had a lot of emotion. In 2020, the Tiny Pretty Things series was even made into a TV show on Netflix!

The Belles Series (2018–2023)

The Belles is a fantasy series that includes three books: The Belles (2018), The Everlasting Rose (2019), and The Beauty Trials (2023). Dhonielle got the idea for this series from her own teenage years. She was interested in magazines and beauty, and how they made her feel about herself.

The story is about a 16-year-old girl and her sisters. They live in a world that is colorless and gray. Their special job is to bring beauty back to everyone. It's a magical adventure about what beauty really means.

Blackout (2021)

Blackout is a special book that Dhonielle wrote with five other amazing authors: Tiffany D. Jackson, Angie Thomas, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. It was published on June 22, 2021. The other authors have said that the idea for Blackout was Dhonielle's "brainchild."

The book is about several different stories that all take place during a blackout in New York City. It's a heartwarming and exciting look at how people connect. Blackout is even going to be made into a movie and TV show by the Obamas for Netflix!

Other Books

Dhonielle has also written other exciting books and series:

• Standalone Books:

* Blackout (2021) – co-authored with Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. * The Rumor Game (2022) – with Sona Charaipotra. * Whiteout (2022) – co-authored with Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon.

• The Belles Trilogy:

* The Belles (2018) * The Everlasting Rose (2019) * The Beauty Trials (2023)

• Conjureverse Series:

* The Marvellers (2022) * The Memory Thieves (2023)

• The Mirror Series: Dhonielle wrote the second book in this series.

* Shattered Midnight (2022)

• Tiny Pretty Things Series:

* Tiny Pretty Things (2015) – with Sona Charaipotra. * Shiny Broken Pieces (2016) – with Sona Charaipotra.

Awards and Honors

Dhonielle Clayton's books have won many awards and received special recognition.

• In 2021, she won the IGNYTE Awards' Ember Award. This award celebrates people who make important contributions to fantasy and science fiction.
• Four of her books were chosen as Junior Library Guild selections. This means they are highly recommended for young readers. These include The Belles (2018), The Everlasting Rose (2019), and both the book and audiobook versions of Blackout (2021).
• The Belles was a New York Times bestseller. This is a huge achievement! The Chicago Public Library (CPL) and Kirkus Reviews also named it one of the best young adult books of 2018. CPL even said it had one of the best teen book covers that year.
• The Marvellers also became a New York Times bestseller. Kirkus Reviews named it one of the best young adult books of 2022.
• Blackout was named one of the best young adult novels of 2021 by Publishers Weekly.
• In 2022, Blackout won an Audie Award for Short Stories or Collections, which is a big award for audiobooks.