Kathryn Reiss facts for kids

Kathryn Reiss (born December 4, 1957) is an American writer. She is famous for her exciting fiction books for children and young adults. Many of her books have won awards!

Kathryn Reiss's Early Life and School

Kathryn Reiss was born in Massachusetts on December 4, 1957. She spent her childhood growing up in Ohio. She went to Duke University and earned degrees in English and German. Later, she studied creative writing at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Her Writing Career

After college, Kathryn Reiss lived in Bonn, Germany. She was a Fulbright Scholar there. During this time, she started writing her very first novel.

Books for Young Readers

Kathryn Reiss writes many thrilling books for middle school and young adult readers. Her stories often include exciting elements like time travel and the supernatural. She has written several mystery books for the popular American Girl series. Some of her other well-known books include Blackthorn Winter (published in 2006) and Murder at Heatherstone Hall (published in 2015). These mystery novels are set in England.

Awards and Recognition

Many of Kathryn Reiss's books have received special honors.

• Time Windows was chosen by the American Library Association as one of the Best Books for Young Adults. It also won the "Popular Paperback for Young Adults" award from YALSA. The State of Maryland also gave it the "Blackeyed Susan Young Reader Medal."
• Dreadful Sorry was another "Popular Paperback for Young Adults" from YALSA. It was also a special pick by the Junior Library Guild. The School Library Journal gave it a top review.
• Pale Phoenix and Paperquake were nominated for the famous Edgar Allan Poe Award for children's mystery books. Paperquake was also named a Popular Paperback for Young Adults by YALSA.
• Paint by Magic, a time travel mystery, was listed as a "Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers" by VOYA. It is also an International School Librarians Association Honor Book.

Speaking and Teaching

Kathryn Reiss has been a "Writer in Residence" for the Princeton Arts Council. This means she was a special guest writer there. She also received a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for writers. She has been a featured speaker at many events. These include groups like Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She also speaks at library and reading conferences.

Kathryn Reiss's Personal Life

Kathryn Reiss lives in Northern California with her husband and children. She also teaches Creative Writing at Mills College.