Rebecca Stead facts for kids

Rebecca Stead (born January 16, 1968) is an American author who writes exciting stories for kids and teenagers. She is famous for winning big awards for her books. In 2010, she won the Newbery Medal for her book When You Reach Me. This is a very old and important award for children's books in America. Later, in 2013, her book Liar & Spy won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. This award celebrates the best children's book in Britain by a new winner.

About Rebecca Stead

Rebecca Stead was born and grew up in New York City. She really enjoyed her time in elementary school. She loved reading books in cozy spots, like on a windowsill or even under a table.

She went to Vassar College and earned her bachelor's degree in 1989. Rebecca Stead is married to Sean O'Brien, who is a lawyer. They have two sons. She and her family live in a part of Manhattan called the Upper West Side.

How She Became a Writer

When Rebecca Stead was a child, she loved to write. But as she got older, she thought writing wasn't a practical job. So, she decided to become a lawyer instead. She worked as a public defender for many years.

After her two sons were born, she returned to writing. She says one of her sons actually inspired her first children's novel, but not in the way you might think! Rebecca had many story ideas saved on her laptop. One day, her son accidentally pushed the laptop off a table. This destroyed all her "serious" writing.

To cheer herself up, she started writing something light and fun. This became her first book, First Light. It was published in 2007 by Wendy Lamb Books, which is part of Random House.

Her Books

Rebecca Stead has written several popular books for young readers:

• First Light (Wendy Lamb Books, 2007)
• When You Reach Me (Wendy Lamb, 2009)
• Liar & Spy (Wendy Lamb, 2012)
• Goodbye Stranger (Wendy Lamb, 2015)
• The List of Things That Will Not Change (Wendy Lamb, 2020)