Akemi Dawn Bowman

{{Infobox writer

| image = AkemiDawnBowmanSigningbooksatALA2018.png

| caption = Bowman autographing a book at the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards in 2018

| nationality = American

| genre = Young Adult fiction, Middle Grade fiction

| notableworks = Starfish, Summer Bird Blue, Harley in the Sky, The Infinity Courts series, Generation Misfits

| years_active = 2017-now

| website = {{url|https://www.akemidawnbowman.com/}}

| language = English

| awards = 2018 William C. Morris Award Finalist, 2022 Locus Award Finalist

| home_town =

| birth_place = United States

| alma_mater = University of Nevada, Las Vegas

| education = BA in social science

| children =

}}

Akemi Dawn Bowman{{Cite web |url=https://www.akemidawnbowman.com/media-kit |title=Media Kit |publisher=Akemi Dawn Bowman |date=2020-08-30 |access-date=2021-12-26}} is an American author, best known for her William C. Morris Award Finalist young adult novel Starfish, which follows a Japanese-American teenager named Kiko Himura who grapples with a toxic home life and attempts to find a back-up plan after being rejected for a place at her dream art school.{{Cite web |url=http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2018/01/22/2018-morris-award-finalists-interview-akemi-dawn-bowman-starfish |title=2018 Morris Award Finalists: An Interview with Akemi Dawn Bowman on Starfish |author=Emma Carbone |date=2018-01-24 |website=The Hub |access-date=2021-12-26}} Bowman's earlier work centered around realistic fiction, but she now writes across genres, starting with her sci-fi series The Infinity Courts which was released in April 2021.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/26109-akemi-dawn-bowman-infinity-courts-ya/#.YF9BFa_7SUk |title=The Infinity Courts |author=Tami Orendain |date=April 2021 |website=BookPage |access-date=2021-12-28}}

Personal life

Bowman was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, when she was a toddler. Her father is from Hawaii{{Cite news |url=https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/hawaii-is-more-than-a-holiday-its-home/ |title=My Favourite Holiday: Hawaii is more than a getaway for author Akemi Dawn Bowman . . . it's home |date=2018-03-23 |work=Sunday Post |access-date=2021-12-28}} and has Japanese and Chinese heritage, and her mother is mostly Italian and Irish. Bowman was home-schooled for four years,{{Cite journal |url=https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=akemi-dawn-bowman-interview-jpop-found-family-middle-grade |title=Akemi Dawn Bowman Explores J-pop and Found Family in Her Middle Grade Debut |author=Samantha Lumetta |date=2021-07-07 |journal=School Library Journal|access-date=6 August 2023}} and attended the Las Vegas Academy as a band major in high school. After graduating, she served with the United States Navy for five years.{{Cite news |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunday-mail-uk/20200315/282192243056151 |title=Too polite to tun down US Navy.. but it helped me launch a fantastic new chapter in my life |work=Sunday Mail |author=Jenny Morrison |date=2020-03-15 |access-date=6 August 2023 |via=Press Reader}} She started writing her first full-length novel while on deployment. She has a degree in social studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Bowman credits music as one of her big writing inspirations and had flute and piano lessons when she was younger. She often centers mental health in her novels because of her own experiences growing up.{{Cite journal |url=https://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2020/03/a-place-at-the-table-a-guest-post-by-akemi-dawn-bowman |title="A Place at the Table" a guest post by Akemi Dawn Bowman |author= Robin Willis |date=2020-03-09 |website=School Library Journal |access-date=6 August 2023}}

In addition to writing novels, Bowman has written short fiction for the Magic: The Gathering online web story "Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty".{{Cite web |url=http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/kaito-origin-stories-test-loyalty-path-forward-2021-12-16 |title=Kaito Origin Stories: A Test of Loyalty & The Path Forward |date=2021-12-16 |access-date=2021-12-26}}

As of March 2020, she lives in Scotland with her family.

Works

=Novels=

Starfish (Simon & Schuster, 2017){{Cite web |url=https://bookriot.com/cover-reveal-for-starfish-by-akemi-dawn-bowman |title=COVER REVEAL FOR STARFISH BY AKEMI DAWN BOWMAN |website=Book Riot |date=23 January 2017 |access-date=2021-12-29}}
Summer Bird Blue (Simon & Schuster, 2018){{Cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/books/young-adult/best-young-adult-novels-september-2018/#4-summer-bird-blue |title=10 of the Best Young Adult Novels of September 2018 |website=Paste |date=12 September 2018 |access-date=2021-12-29}}
Harley in the Sky (Simon & Schuster, 2020){{Cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/books/young-adult-books/best-young-adult-novels-march-2020-list/#by-akemi-dawn-bowman-harley-in-the-sky |title=The 10 Best Young Adult Books of March 2020 |website=Paste |date=5 March 2020 |access-date=2021-12-29}}
The Infinity Courts (Simon & Schuster, 2021){{Cite web |url=https://thenerddaily.com/akemi-dawn-bowman-the-infinity-courts-interview |title=Q&A: Akemi Dawn Bowman, Author of 'The Infinity Courts' |website=The Nerd Daily |date=1 April 2021 |access-date=6 August 2023}}
Generation Misfits (Macmillan, 2021){{Cite web |url=https://thenerddaily.com/anticipated-2021-middle-grade-book-releases |title=Incredible Middle Grade Book Releases To Look Out For In 2021 |website=The Nerd Daily |date=27 January 2021 |access-date=2021-12-29}}
The Genesis Wars (Simon & Schuster, 2022){{Cite web |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/akemi-dawn-bowman/the-genesis-wars |title=The Genesis Wars, from The Infinity Courts series, Volume 2 |website=Kirkus Reviews |date=2 March 2022 |access-date=May 10, 2022}}

=Short stories=

in Kaito Origin Stories: A Test of Loyalty & The Path Forward{{Cite web |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/kaito-origin-stories-test-loyalty-path-forward-2021-12-16 |title=KAITO ORIGIN STORIES: A TEST OF LOYALTY & THE PATH FORWARD |website=Magic - The Gathering |date=16 December 2021 |access-date=6 August 2023}} (Magic: The Gathering online fiction, 2021)
in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty{{Cite web|url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/1562337|title=Article Archives|website=Magic - The Gathering|date=24 January 2022|access-date=2022-03-30|archive-date=27 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527170857/https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/1562337|url-status=dead}} (Magic: The Gathering online fiction, 2022)
in Being Ace: An Anthology of Queer, Trans, Femme, and Disabled Stories of Asexual Love and Connection{{Cite news |last=Jensen |first=Kelly |date=August 1, 2022 |title=New and Forthcoming 2022-2023 YA Anthologies to TBR |url=https://bookriot.com/2022-2023-ya-anthologies/ |access-date=November 28, 2024 |work=Book Riot}} (Page Street YA, 2023)

Accolades

=Starred reviews=

Starfish received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-4814-8772-6|title=Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman |website=Publishers Weekly |date=2017-09-26 |access-date=2021-12-27}} and Booklist.{{Cite book |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Starfish-Akemi-Dawn-Bowman/pid=8860433 |title=Starfish |via=Booklist |date=2017-09-01 |access-date=2021-12-27}}
Summer Bird Blue received starred reviews from Kirkus,{{Cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/akemi-dawn-bowman/summer-bird-blue|title=Summer Bird Blue |website=Kirkus |date=2018-06-18 |access-date=2021-12-27}} Booklist,{{Cite book|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Summer-Bird-Blue/pid=9538840|title=Summer Bird Blue |via=Booklist |date=2018-06-01 |access-date=2021-12-27}} and School Library Journal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=summer-bird-blue|title=Summer Bird Blue |website=School Library Journal |date=2018-08-01 |access-date=2021-12-27}}
The Infinity Courts received a starred review from School Library Journal.{{Cite journal |url=https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=the-infinity-courts |title=The Infinity Courts |journal=School Library Journal |date=2021-02-01 |access-date=6 August 2023}}
Generation Misfits received starred reviews from School Library Journal{{Cite journal |url=https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=generation-misfits |title=Generation Misfits |journal=School Library Journal |date=2021-07-01| access-date=6 August 2023}} and The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.{{Cite journal |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/795925 |title=Generation Misfits by Akemi Dawn Bowman |journal=Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books |date=2018-06-18 |doi=10.1353/bcc.2021.0356 |s2cid=242917577 |access-date=6 August 2023 |last1=Stevenson |first1=Deborah |volume=74 |issue=11 |pages=453–454 }}

=Honors=

Starfish, Summer Bird Blue and Generation Misfits were each named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.{{Cite web |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detail?type=books&search=akemi+dawn+bowman |title=Akemi Dawn Bowman |publisher=Junior Library Guild |access-date=6 August 2023}} Bowman's first middle-grade novel Generation Misfits was featured on the July/August 2021 cover of The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, and received a Big Picture honor and a starred review.{{Cite journal |url=https://bccb.ischool.illinois.edu/monthly/2021-07 |title=July/August 2021 Stars & Big Picture |author=Deborah Stevenson |journal=Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books |date=July 2021 |access-date=6 August 2023}} Starfish was chosen as a New York Public Library 2017 Best Book for Teens,{{Cite press release |url=https://www.nypl.org/press/press-release/november-20-2017/new-york-public-library-announces-its-best-books-2017-kids-and/ |title=New York Public Library Announces Its Best Books of 2017 for Kids and Teens |publisher=New York Public Library |date=2017-11-20 |access-date=6 August 2023}} and Summer Bird Blue was chosen for the same honor in 2018.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nypl.org/books-more/recommendations/best-books/teens?year=2018 |title=Best Books for Teens 2018 |publisher=New York Public Library |date=2018-11-18 |access-date=6 August 2023}} Paste magazine called Starfish "the best debut YA novel the year" in 2017,{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/books/best-of-2017/the-30-best-young-adult-books-of-2017/#2-starfish|title=The 30 Best Young Adult Books of 2017 |author=Eric Smith |date=2017-12-06 |website=Paste |access-date=6 August 2023}} and later declared it one of the top 30 young adult books of the 2010s.{{Cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/books/best-of-the-decade/best-young-adult-novels-of-the-decade-2010s-list/#29-starfish |title=The 30 Best Young Adult Novels of the 2010s |author=Eric Smith & Paste Staff |date=2019-10-30 |website=Paste |access-date=6 August 2023}} In 2021, Harley in the Sky was named a top pick for the Kansas NEA Reading Circle List High School Title.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kneaweb.org/knea-reading-circle|title=KANSAS NEA READING CIRCLE RECOMMENDED TITLES|date=2021-06-01|publisher=Kansas National Education Association |access-date=2021-12-29}} Locus magazine included The Infinity Courts in its annual Recommended Reading List for the year 2021.{{Cite web |url=https://locusmag.com/2022/02/2021-recommended-reading-list |title=2021 Locus Recommended Reading List|website=Locus |date=February 2022 |access-date=2022-05-11}}

Awards

Won

2020 Winner of the MéMO Award for Best Teen Novel for Starfish{{Cite web |url=http://www.https/ |title=MéMO Awards - Meilleur roman ado 2020 : L'Esquisse du bonheur |date=2021-02-24 |website=bibliotheques.cergypontoise.fr |language=fr |access-date=2021-12-27 |archive-date=19 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819141428/http://https/ |url-status=dead }}

Nominated

2018 William C. Morris YA Debut Award for Starfish{{Cite web |url=http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/awards/144/all_years |title=William C. Morris Debut YA Award |publisher=American Library Association |access-date=6 August 2023}}
2019 Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award Nominee for Starfish{{Cite web|url=https://www.coloradobluespruceaward.org/about|title=Awards & Grants|publisher=Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award|access-date=2021-12-26|archive-date=26 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211226174701/https://www.coloradobluespruceaward.org/about|url-status=dead}}
2020 Scottish Teenage Book Prize Finalist for Starfish{{Cite web |url=https://www.scottishfield.co.uk/culture/books/three-in-the-running-for-2020-scottish-teenage-book-prize |title=Three contend 2020 Scottish Teenage Book Prize |website=Scottish Field |author=Kenny Smith |date=2 September 2019 |access-date=6 August 2023}}
2020 Falkirk Red Book Award for Summer Bird Blue{{Cite web |url=https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/learningresourceservice |title=RED Book Award |publisher=Falkirk Council Learning Resource Service |access-date=6 August 2023 |archive-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529090022/https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/LearningResourceService/ |url-status=dead }}
2022 Locus Award Finalist in the Young Adult Novel category for The Infinity Courts{{Cite web |url=https://locusmag.com/2022/05/2022-locus-awards-top-ten-finalists |title=2022 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists |website=Locus |date=10 May 2022 |access-date=2022-05-11}}