Lisa Graff
{{short description|American teen and children's book writer (born 1981)}}
{{Distinguish|text = Lisa Graf, a German Olympic swimmer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{infobox writer
| name = Lisa Graff
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|01|10}}
| birth_place = United States
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Writer
| alma_mater = UCLA, New School
| genre = Children's fiction
| notablework= A Tangle of Knots, Lost in the Sun
Ever Expending Universe series as Isla Neal
| relations =
| spouse =
| signature =
| website = {{URL|www.lisagraff.com}}
}}
Lisa Colleen Graff (also known under the pen name of Isla Neal, born January 10, 1981{{cite web |url=http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2006003546.html |title=Lisa Graff on the Library of Congress |access-date=December 20, 2018}}) is an American teen and children's book writer. Her books have been included in state awards lists and best books of the years lists.
Biography
Lisa Graff was born in 1981 and grew up in Big Bear, California. She started writing her first story (The Strangest Flower) at the age of 8, one day when she was bored.{{cite web |url=http://www.lisagraff.com/about-lisa-graff.html |title=About Lisa Graff |publisher=Lisa Graff |access-date=December 20, 2018}} As a child she was interested in Math and Science.
She studied at University of California, Los Angeles. While Graff has always written stories, she only started considering writing as a career at her junior year in college, during an exchange program in Italy, when her language professor helped her translate one of her stories to Italian.{{cite web |url=http://www.sweetonbooks.com/lisa-graff/.html |title=Interview with Lisa Graff |publisher=Sweetonbooks |date=2012 |access-date=December 20, 2018}}
Following graduation, Graff moved to New York and graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing for Children from the New School University in New York.
She has worked for five years as an associate editor at Farrar, Straus & Giroux Books for Young Readers before turning to writing full-time. Graff now lives in Pennsylvania.{{cite web |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/239235/lisa-graff |title=Lisa Graff |publisher=Penguin Random House |access-date=December 20, 2018}}
Graff's books have been included in more than 40 state award lists as well as listed in some best books of the year by various booksellers and librarians.
In 2013, her book "A Tangle of Knots" was long listed for the National book award. It was also chosen as one of the best children books of 2013 on Amazon.
In 2015, her book "Lost in the Sun" was chosen as one of the best books of 2015 by Amazon.{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=s9_acss_bw_cg_BGG15_3d1?node=13127710011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&pf_rd_r=07GP3CAG5J24K7QANDJH&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=2306017882&pf_rd_i=283155 |title=Best books of 2015, Best Children's Books of the Year |website=Amazon |access-date=December 20, 2018}}
Graff also writes for teens under the pen name of Isla Neal.{{cite web |url=http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2011058900.html |title=Isla Neal |publisher=Library of Congress}}
She is also an adjunct professor teaching a course about children's literature at McDaniel College in Maryland.
Books
=Children and middle grade books=
- (2007) The Thing About Georgie
- (2008) The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower
- (2009) Umbrella Summer
- (2010) Sophie Simon Solves Them All
- (2012) Double Dog Dare
- (2013) A Tangle of Knots- Chosen as one of the best books of 2013 by Amazon.{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=sr_aj?node=7787212011&ajr=0 |title=Best Books of 2013, children books 9-12 |website=Amazon |access-date=December 20, 2018}} also long listed for the National Book Award and other awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.lisagraff.com/a-tangle-of-knots.html |title=A Tangle of Knots |publisher=Lisa Graff |access-date=December 20, 2018}}
- (2014) Absolutely Almost
- (2015) Lost in the Sun - Chosen as one of the best books of 2015 by Amazon and other awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.lisagraff.com/lost-in-the-sun.html |title=Lost in the Sun |publisher=Lisa Graff |access-date=December 20, 2018}}
- (2016) A Clatter of Jars
- (2017) The Great Treehouse War
- (2024) Rewind
=Picture books=
- (2016) It Is Not Time for Sleeping
- (2021) Mr. Walker Steps Out
=Short stories=
- (2017) Funny Girl - collection of stories by female children's writers, Graff wrote one of the stories.
=Books under the pen name Isla Neal=
Neal wrote the Ever Expending Universe series with Martin Leicht:{{cite web |url=https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/isla-neal/580653/ |title=books by Isla Neal |publisher=thriftbooks |access-date=December 20, 2018}}
- (2012) Mothership
- (2013) A Stranger Thing
- (2015) The World Forgot
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Children and Young Adult Literature}}
- [http://www.lisagraff.com/about-lisa-graff.html Lisa Graff website]
- [http://www.lisagraff.com/books.html books by Lisa Graff]
- [https://www.encyclopedia.com/children/scholarly-magazines/graff-lisa-1981 Lisa Graff] on Encyclopedia.com
- [http://www.sweetonbooks.com/lisa-graff/.html Lisa Graff], Interview on 2012
- {{Twitter}}
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Category:21st-century American writers
Category:American children's writers
Category:American women children's writers
Category:21st-century pseudonymous writers