Wendelin Van Draanen facts for kids

Wendelin Van Draanen (born January 6, 1965) is an American author who writes exciting books for kids and young adults. She is known for her mystery series Sammy Keyes and the popular novel Flipped.

About Wendelin Van Draanen

Wendelin Van Draanen was born in Chicago, Illinois. When she was young, she loved reading books that made her feel like she was part of the story. One book that really inspired her was Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. She said it reminded her of all the fun and mischief she and her brothers got into growing up. This book even inspired her to write her own story, How I Survived Being a Girl, which came out in 1997.

Other books that influenced her early on were the classic mystery series like Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and Encyclopedia Brown. These stories likely helped her create her own detective character, Sammy Keyes!

Her Journey to Becoming a Writer

Before becoming a full-time author, Wendelin Van Draanen was a high school math and computer science teacher. She started writing to help deal with stress after her family's business faced a tough time. Her first book, How I Survived Being a Girl, was published in 1997.

Wendelin's parents were chemists who moved to the United States from the Netherlands. Today, she lives in San Luis Obispo, California, with her husband, Mark Parsons, and their two sons, Colton and Connor.

Popular Books by Wendelin Van Draanen

Wendelin Van Draanen has written many popular books. Her stories often feature characters who are trying to figure things out, whether it's solving a mystery or dealing with life's challenges.

The Sammy Keyes Mysteries

The Sammy Keyes series started in 1998 with Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief. This book even won a special award called the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery in 1999! The series has eighteen books in total. It follows the adventures of a middle school girl named Sammy Keyes as she solves mysteries and navigates life.

Runaway is another book that connects to the Sammy Keyes series. It tells the story of a girl named Holly who tries to escape from her foster home.

The Shredderman Series

For younger readers, Van Draanen wrote the Shredderman series between 2004 and 2006. This four-book series is about a fifth grade boy who creates a secret online identity called "Shredderman." He uses this identity to stand up to the school bully, Bubba Bixby.

Flipped: A Unique Love Story

One of her most famous standalone books is Flipped. This teen romance is told in a special "he-said she-said" style. The two main characters, Bryce and Julianna, are neighbors. They take turns telling their side of the same events, showing how different people can see things in their own way. Flipped was so popular that it was made into a movie in 2010, directed by Rob Reiner.

Other Award-Winning Books

In 2017, Wendelin Van Draanen won the Josette Frank Award for her book The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones. This award recognizes excellent fiction for children. The story is about eleven-year-old Lincoln, whose mom gets a job helping people with memory problems. Lincoln discovers the kind and human side of these patients.

Many of her books have also been recognized on the Best Children's Book of the Year list by the Children's Book Committee. These include:

• Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary
• Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy
• Shredderman
• Runaway
• The Gecko & Sticky
• The Gecko & Sticky: Villains Lair
• The Running Dream
• Wild Bird
• The Peach Rebellion
• Mr. Whiskers and the Shenanigan Sisters

Her books are available in many libraries around the world. There are over 70 works by and about her, published in more than 370 editions and 12 languages!

List of Books

Here are some of the books Wendelin Van Draanen has written:

Shredderman Series

• Shredderman 1: Secret Identity (2004)
• Shredderman 2: Attack of the Tagger (2005)
• Shredderman 3: Meet the Gecko (2005)
• Shredderman 4: Enemy Spy (2006)

Sammy Keyes Series

The Sammy Keyes series has 18 books in total:

• Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief (1998) – Won the 1999 Edgar Award
• Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man (1998)
• Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy (1999)
• Sammy Keyes and the Runaway Elf (2000)
• Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary (2001)
• Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy (2002)
• Sammy Keyes and the Search for Snake Eyes (2003)
• Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception (2003)
• Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen (2006)
• Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway (2005)
• Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things (2007)
• Sammy Keyes and the Cold Hard Cash (2008)
• Sammy Keyes and the Wedding Crasher (2010)
• Sammy Keyes and the Night of Skulls (2011)
• Sammy Keyes and the Power of Justice Jack (2012)
• Sammy Keyes and the Showdown in Sin City (2013)
• Sammy Keyes and the Killer Cruise (2013)
• Sammy Keyes and the Kiss Goodbye (2014)

The Gecko & Sticky Series

• The Gecko & Sticky: Villain's Lair (2009)
• The Gecko & Sticky: The Greatest Power (2009)
• The Gecko & Sticky: Sinister Substitute (2010)
• The Gecko & Sticky: The Power Potion (2010)

Other Books

• How I Survived Being a Girl (1997)
• Flipped (2001) – Made into a movie in 2010
• Swear to Howdy (2003)
• Runaway (2006)
• Confessions of a Serial Kisser (2008)
• The Running Dream (2011)
• The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones (2016)
• Wild Bird (2017)
• The Peach Rebellion (2022)