Martin W. Sandler

American author and historian (born 1933) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Martin W. Sandler (born February 11, 1933) is an American historian, writer and teacher, the author of more than 50 books about American history and photography. Notable works include Secret Subway (2009), The Impossible Rescue (2012), Imprisoned (2013), How the Beatles Changed the World (2014), Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation (2015), The Whydah (2017), Apollo 8 (2018), 1919 (2019), and Race Through the Skies (2020). Among other honors, he won the 2019 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

Born
Martin William Sandler

(1933-02-11) February 11, 1933 (age 93)
Occupation
  • Author
  • Historian
  • Television producer and writer
Education
Quick facts Born, Occupation ...
Martin W. Sandler
Sandler at his desk, December 2021.
Sandler at his desk, December 2021.
Born
Martin William Sandler

(1933-02-11) February 11, 1933 (age 93)
Occupation
  • Author
  • Historian
  • Television producer and writer
Education
GenreAmerican History
Notable works
Notable awards
Signature
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Early life and education

Sandler was born February 11, 1933, in New Bedford, Massachusetts.[citation needed]

He attended Providence College on a baseball scholarship, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in history; he later earned a Master of Arts in history from Brown University.[1]

Career

Sandler worked as a history and English teacher and baseball coach at Quincy Central Junior High School in Quincy, MA[2] and head of school at Stowe Preparatory Academy in Stowe, Vt. He subsequently taught American Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Smith College.[3] While a teacher, Sandler endeavored to revitalize the teaching of secondary-school history with a 1971 textbook, The People Make a Nation, that called on students to draw conclusions about history from examining and interpreting primary sources, instead of memorizing facts and narratives.[4]

Awards and honors

Eleven of Sander's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Vaqueros (2001),[5] America Through the Lens (2005),[6] Secret Subway (2009),[7] The Impossible Rescue (2012),[8] How the Beatles Changed the World (2014),[9] Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation (2016),[10] The Whydah (2017),[11] Apollo 8 (2018),[12] Race Through the Skies (2020),[13] Picturing a Nation (2022),[14] and Shipwrecked! (2023).[15]

Sandler's books have regularly been included on year-end lists:

  • In 1979, The Story of American Photography was named one of the year's best nonfiction children's books The Horn Book Magazine.[16]
  • In 2012, The Impossible Rescue was named one of the year's best children's books by Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal.[citation needed] The following year, Bank Street College of Education included it on their list of the best history books for children ages 12-14.[17]
  • In 2012, Through the Lens was named a history book of "outstanding merit" for children ages 9-12 by Bank Street College of Education.[18]
  • In 2016, Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation was named one of the year's best history books for children ages 14 and up by Bank Street College of Education.[19]
  • In 2017, The Whydah was named one of the year's best nonfiction children's books by New York Public Library (NYPL) and School Library Journal.[20][21] The following year, the Association for Library Service to Children named it among the year's Notable Children's Books,[22] and Bank Street College of Education named it a history book of "outstanding merit" for children ages 12-14.[23]
  • In 2019, 1919 was named one of the year's best children's books by The Washington Post.[24] The following year, Bank Street College of Education named it one of the year's best history books for children ages 14 and older.[25]
  • In 2019, Apollo 8 was named a history book of "outstanding merit" for children ages 12-14 by Bank Street College of Education.[26]
  • In 2021, Picturing a Nation was included on Booklist's list of the year's "Top 10 Arts Books for Youth".[27] The following year, Bank Street College of Education named a history book of "outstanding merit" for children ages 12-14 by .[28]
  • In 2023, Shipwrecked! was named one of the year's best children's books by the NYPL.[29] The following year, Bank Street College of Education named Shipwrecked! one of the year's best history books for children ages 12-24.[30]
More information Title, Year ...
Awards for Sandler's writing
Title Year Award Result Ref.
1919 2019 Cybils Award for Junior High Nonfiction Finalist [31]
National Book Award for Young People's Literature Winner [32][33][34]
2020 Orbis Pictus Award Honor [35]
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Nominee [36]
Apollo 8 2018 Cybils Award for Junior High Nonfiction Finalist [37]
Imprisoned 2013 Cybils Award for Young Adult Nonfiction Winner [38][39]
2014 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist [40]
The Impossible Rescue 2013 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Nominee [41]
Lincoln Through the Lens 2008 Cybils Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Nonfiction Finalist [42]
Race Through the Skies 2021 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Nominee [43]
Secret Subway 2010 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist [44]
Shipwrecked 2024 Sibert Medal Honor [45]
The Whydah 2018 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist [46][47]
2019 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee [48]
Cybils Award for Junior High Nonfiction Winner [49]
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Selected publications

Sole author

With Others

  • with Edwin C. Rozwenc and Edward C. Martin, The People Make a A Nation, Boston: Allyn and Bacon (1971) ISBN 0-3167-7022-1

References

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