Jim Murphy (author) facts for kids
Jim Murphy, born on September 25, 1947, is a famous American writer. He has written over 35 books, both true stories (nonfiction) and made-up stories (fiction). Many of his books are about American history. He writes for kids, teens, and adults. In 2010, he won the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association. This award recognized his amazing work writing for young people.
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About Jim Murphy
Jim Murphy was born in Kearny, New Jersey. He is married to Alison Blank, who is also a writer and editor. They even wrote a book together called Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for a Cure.
Awards and Recognition
Jim Murphy has won many important awards for his books. These awards show how much his writing is loved and respected.
Margaret A. Edwards Award
In 2010, Jim Murphy received the Margaret A. Edwards Award. This special award from the American Library Association honors writers who have made a big, lasting impact on young adult literature. The award recognized five of his nonfiction books:
- The Long Road to GETTYSBURG
- The Great Fire
- A YOUNG PATRIOT: The American Revolution as Experienced by One Boy
- BLIZZARD! The Storm That Changed America
- An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793
The award committee said that Murphy's books "bring history alive." He uses real stories, maps, photos, and even dialogue to make historical events exciting. This makes his books fast-paced and interesting for young readers.
Newbery Medal
The Newbery Medal is another top award for children's literature in America. Jim Murphy was a runner-up for this award twice:
- In 1996 for his book The Great Fire.
- In 2004 for An American Plague.
Robert F. Sibert Medal
He also won the Robert F. Sibert Medal in 2004 for An American Plague. This award is for the best children's information book. He was also a runner-up for this medal in 2001 for BLIZZARD!.
Other Awards
Jim Murphy has also won many other awards, including:
- Three NCTE Orbis Pictus Awards
- Three Jefferson Cup Awards
- Two SCBWI Golden Kite Awards
- The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Distinguished Nonfiction
- The Boston Globe–Horn Book Award
- The Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers' Literature in 2013.
Selected Books
Jim Murphy has written many books that teach readers about important historical events and people.
Nonfiction Books
- The Boys' War: Confederate and Union soldiers talk about the Civil War (1990)
- The Long Road to GETTYSBURG (1992)
- Across America on an Emigrant Train (1993) – This book includes parts of Robert Louis Stevenson's travel story.
- The Great Fire (1995)
- A YOUNG PATRIOT: The American Revolution as Experienced by One Boy (1995) – Based on the real experiences of Joseph Plumb Martin.
- Gone a-whaling: the lure of the sea and the hunt for the great whale (1998)
- BLIZZARD! The Storm That Changed America (2000)
- An American Plague: the true and terrifying story of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 (2003)
- Inside the Alamo (2003)
- Desperate Journey (2006) – About delivering goods on the Erie Canal.
- The Real Benedict Arnold (2007)
- A Savage Thunder: Antietam and the bloody road to freedom (2009)
- Truce: the day the soldiers stopped fighting (2009)
- THE CROSSING: How George Washington Saved the American Revolution (2010)
- The Giant and How He Humbugged America (2012)
- Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for a Cure (2012) – Written with Alison Blank.
Fiction Books
Jim Murphy has also written some fiction books, including horror stories and picture books for younger children.
Horror
- Night Terrors (1994)
Children's Picture Books
- The Last Dinosaur, illustrated by Mark Alan Weatherby (1988)
- The Call Of The Wolves, illustrated by Mark Alan Weatherby (1989)
Dear America Books
These books are written as diaries from different historical periods.
- My Face to the Wind: the diary of Sarah Jane Price, a prairie teacher (2001)
- The Journal of James Edmond Pease, a Civil War Union Soldier (1998)
- West to a Land of Plenty : the diary of Teresa Angelino Viscardi (1998)
- The Journal of Brian Doyle: a greenhorn on an Alaskan whaling ship (2003)
