Aiden Thomas
American author
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aiden Thomas (born July 14, c.1989) is an American author of young adult novels. He[a] is best known for the book Cemetery Boys which was a New York Times bestseller and won numerous awards, including best of the year recognition from the American Library Association, Publishers Weekly, Barnes & Noble, NPR and School Library Journal.
Aiden Thomas | |
|---|---|
Thomas in 2024 | |
| Citizenship | United States of America |
| Education | Mills College |
| Writing career | |
| Genre | Young adult fiction |
| Notable work | Cemetery Boys |
| Website | www |
Early life and education
Thomas was born in Oakland, California, and received a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing from Mills College.[1]
Personal life
He is of Cuban and Mexican heritage.[2][3][4]
From 2007 to 2010, he attended Mills College, majoring in English and Psychology.[5] While there, he rowed crew. The practices were at 5am, and he was always sleepy, so the coxswain called him "aidenschmaiden" which he later used for his Twitter username.[6]
In 2011, he trained as a EMT[7] and nearly completed a year before suffering from an accident.[8]
In 2012–2013, he completed a post baccalaureate at Portland State University, studying English.[1]
In 2013–2015, he completed an MFA in Creative Writing at Mills College, where he had 5 stories published and his thesis became the basis of a later book, Lost in the Never Woods.[9]
Thomas lives in Portland.[10] He is transgender and uses he/they pronouns.[11]
Books
Cemetery Boys
Cemetery Boys was published on September 1, 2020, by Swoon Reads.[12] It tells the story of Yadriel, who is queer, transgender, Latino and a brujo. Unfortunately, his family does not recognize him as a man, which has serious effects on his abilities. The book was named a best seller by The New York Times and IndieBound,[12] the first trans-centered book to do so,[13] and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly[14] and Booklist.[15]
The sequel, Cemetery Boys: Espíritu, is set to be published on September 8, 2026.[16]
Lost in the Never Woods
Lost in the Never Woods was published on March 23, 2021, by Swoon Reads.[17] It is a retelling of Peter Pan. The book, as well as the audiobook, received a starred review from Booklist.[18][19]
The Sunbearer Trials duology
The Sunbearer Trials, a Mexican-inspired fantasy was published on September 6, 2022 by Feiwel & Friends.[20] It received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly.[21][22] The finale in this series, Celestial Monsters, was published on September 3, 2024 by Feiwel & Friends.[23] It received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus Reviews.[23][24]
Just Max
In October 2021, Thomas announced the acquisition of Just Max,[25] a contemporary YA novel about a trans boy going to college and navigating all the new experiences that includes. Release was set for Winter 2024,[26] but as of December 2025, the book has not yet been published.
Awards and honors
Cemetery Boys is a Junior Library Guild book.[27] It was a New York Times and Indiebound bestseller,[12] and Publishers Weekly, NPR, and Barnes & Noble named it one of the best books of 2020.[28][29][30] School Library Journal included the audiobook on their list of the top ten audiobooks of 2020,[31] the American Library Association (ALA) included it on their 2020 list of the top ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults.[32] The following year, the ALA included it in the top ten on their Best Fiction for Young Adults list,[33][34] ALA Rainbow Book List,[35] and Teens' Top Ten list.[36]
In 2023, the ALA included The Sunbearer Trials on their list of the Best Fiction for Young Adults and their Rainbow List.[37][38]
| Year | Title | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cemetery Boys | Bram Stoker Award for Best Young Adult Novel | Shortlisted | [39] |
| Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Nominee | [40] | ||
| Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Novel | Nominee | [40] | ||
| National Book Award for Young People's Literature | Longlisted | [41][42] | ||
| 2021 | Locus Award for Best First Novel | Nominee | [43] | |
| Lodestar Award | Finalist | [44] | ||
| Lost in the Never Woods | Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Nominee | [45] |
Notes
- Thomas uses he/they pronouns. This articles uses he/him pronouns for consistency.