Joy McCullough

{{infobox writer

|name=Joy McCullough

|occupation=Author

|nationality=American

|website={{url|https://joymccullough.com}}

}}

Joy McCullough is an American author of young adult fiction. She is best known for her verse novel Blood Water Paint. She lives in Seattle, Washington.{{Cite journal|date=2019-02-05|title=Joy McCullough|journal=Contemporary Authors|via=Gale Literature}} She attended Northwestern University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/77414-spring-2018-flying-starts-joy-mccullough.html|title=Spring 2018 Flying Starts: Joy McCullough|last=Grochowski|first=Sara|date=2018-06-28|website=Publishers Weekly|access-date=2020-01-17}}

Writing career

Blood Water Paint is a verse novel of biographical fiction for young adults. Its subject is Italian baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi, who was raped and took her attacker to court.{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/991090994|title=Blood water paint|last=McCullough|first=Joy|year=2018|isbn=978-0-7352-3211-2|location=New York, NY|oclc=991090994}} It is the tenth novel written by McCullough and it was the first of her books published. McCullough, whose background was as a playwright and not as a poet, first developed Blood Water Paint as a play that was produced in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/blood-water-paint-is-inspired-by-the-true-story-of-the-first-time-a-sexual-assault-survivor-won-a-legal-battle-against-her-assailant-8257084|title=This Book Tells The Story Of The 17th Century Sexual Assault Survivor Who Changed Everything|last=Miller|first=E. Ce|date=2018-03-07|website=Bustle|language=en|access-date=2020-01-17}} She read transcripts from the rape trial, which had been translated into English, in her research.

Blood Water Paint received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal. The Horn Book called it "a powerful novel."{{Cite journal|last=Piehl|first=Norah|date=Fall 2018|title=McCullough, Joy Blood Water Paint|journal=The Horn Book|volume=29|issue=2|via=Gale Literature}} Publishers Weekly wrote, "A haunting, stirring depiction of an unforgettable woman" and School Library Journal wrote, "McCullough’s beautifully crafted text will inspire upper-middle/high school readers to research the true story upon which this powerful piece of historical fiction is based. The poetry is clear and revelatory, exploring Artemisia’s passion for both art and life." Blood Water Paint was longlisted for National Book Foundation's 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/77972-2018-nba-longlist-for-young-people-s-literature-announced.html|title=2018 NBA Longlist for Young People's Literature Announced|website=Publishers Weekly|language=en|access-date=2020-01-17}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-2018-national-book-awards-longlist-young-peoples-literature|title=The 2018 National Book Awards Longlist: Young People's Literature|date=2018-09-12|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=2020-01-17|language=en|issn=0028-792X}} It was named one of the year's ten best historical fiction novels for youth by Booklist.{{Cite journal|last=Smith|first=Julia|date=2018-04-15|title=Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth|journal=Booklist|publisher=American Library Association|volume=114|issue=16|via=Gale Literature}} The audiobook was read by Xe Sands.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hbook.com/?detailStory=review-of-blood-water-paint-audiobook|title=Review of Blood Water Paint audiobook|last=Azzam|first=Julie Hakim|date=2019-09-12|website=The Horn Book|access-date=2020-01-17}}

In 2020, McCullough published A Field Guide for Getting Lost.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781534438491|title=Children's Book Review: A Field Guide to Getting Lost|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-20}}

On March 8, 2022, Tess Sharpe, Caroline Tung Richmond, Jessica Spotswood and McCullough released the novel Great or Nothing, a retelling of the classic Little Women, set during the second World War.{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1255520924 |title=Great or nothing |date=2022 |others=Tess Sharpe, Jessica Spotswood, Caroline Tung Richmond |isbn=978-0-593-37259-3 |edition=1st |location=New York |oclc=1255520924}}

Selected works

{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |title=Blood Water Paint |year=2017 |publisher=Dutton |author-mask=2}}{{Cite journal |date=2018-01-15 |title=Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough |journal=Kirkus Reviews }}{{Cite web |title=Children's Book Review: Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough |date=2018-04-16 |website=Publishers Weekly }}{{Cite web |title=Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough {{!}} SLJ Review |last=Menaldi-Scanlan |first=Nancy |date=2018-01-26 |website=School Library Journal }}{{Cite web |title=Blood Water Paint: Artemisia Gentileschi for YAs |last1=Dobrez |first1=Cindy |last2=Rutan |first2=Lynn |date=2018-08-03 |website=The Booklist Reader }}
{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |title=A Field Guide to Getting Lost |year=2020 |publisher=Atheneum |author-mask=2}}{{Cite journal |date=2020-01-15 |title=A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Joy McCullough |journal=Kirkus Reviews }}
{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |title=Across the Pond |year=2021 |publisher=Atheneum |isbn=9781534471214 |author-mask=2}}
{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |title=Not Starring Zadie Louise |year=2022 |publisher=Atheneum |isbn=9781534496231 |author-mask=2}}
{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |title=Code Red |year=2023 |publisher=Atheneum |isbn=9781534496286 |author-mask=2}}

= Picture books =

{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |title=Champ and Major: First Dogs |year=2021 |others=Illustrated by Sheyda Abvabi Best |publisher=Dial Books |isbn=9780593407141 |author-mask=2}}
{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |title=Harriet's Ruffled Feathers |year=2022 |others=Illustrated by Romina Galotta |publisher=Atheneum |isbn=9781534486768 |author-mask=2}}
{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |title=The Story of a Book |year=2023 |others=Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth |publisher=Atheneum |author-mask=2}}

= Collaborations =

{{Cite book |last=McCullough |first=Joy |title=Great or Nothing |year=2022 |others=With Caroline Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe, and Jessica Spotswood |publisher=Delacorte |isbn=9780593372593 |author-mask=2}}