Susin Nielsen
Canadian writer (born 1964)
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Susin Nielsen (born 1964) is a Canadian author for children, adolescents and young adults. She received the 2012 Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature and the 2013 Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award for her young adult novel The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, which deals with the aftermath of a school shooting.
Susin Nielsen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964 (age 61–62) |
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Notable works | The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen |
| Notable awards | |
| Spouse | Goran Fernlund |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | |
| susinnielsen | |
In 2019, she received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People.
Personal life
Nielsen was born in 1964,[1] and was raised in London and Chatham-Kent, Ontario.[2]
She is married to Goran Fernlund and has one child: Oscar.[1]
Career
Nielsen began her writing career with the Degrassi franchise, writing scripts for the television shows as well as books for the series. Nielsen also played Louella Hawkins the Janitor in Degrassi Junior High. Following her work with Degrassi, Nielsen wrote for many other Canadian television series such as Heartland, What About Mimi?, and Braceface.[3] While working on these shows she produced three children's picture books: Hank and Fergus, Mormor Moves In, and The Magic Beads.
Her first independent novel, Word Nerd, deals with bullying, a theme she returns to in The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen. Her books often describe the effect of broken families on children.[citation needed]
Nielsen's 2015 book, We Are All Made of Molecules, about two step siblings trying to form a bond with each other, was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award.[citation needed]
Nielsen's books have been translated into Dutch, French, Portuguese, Italian, German and Polish (In the Polish language, not all of them have been translated).[3]
Nielsen's 2021 book, Tremendous Things, was nominated for the 2022 Ontario Library Association's Red Maple Award for Fiction.[citation needed]
Awards and honors
In 2019, Nielsen was honored with the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People, which honors writers and illustrators whose body of work has been "inspirational to Canadian youth."[4][5][6]
Two of Nielsen's books are Junior Library Guild selections: No Fixed Address (2018)[7] and Tremendous Things (2021).[8]
In 2015, The Globe and Mail,[9] Kirkus Reviews,[10] Quill & Quire, and The Telegraph[11] included We Are All Made of Molecules on their list of the best young adult novels of the year.
| Year | Title | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Word Nerd | INDIES Award for Juvenile Fiction | Silver | [12] |
| 2010 | Forest of Reading Red Maple Award | Winner | [13] | |
| Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award | Winner | [14] | ||
| Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom | INDIES Award for Juvenile Fiction | Winner | [15] | |
| 2011 | Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize | Finalist | [16] | |
| Snow Willow Award | Winner | [17] | ||
| 2012 | Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award | Winner | [18] | |
| Rocky Mountain Book Award | Winner | [19] | ||
| The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen | Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature | Winner | [20][21][22] | |
| 2013 | Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award | Winner | [23] | |
| Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award | Winner | [24] | ||
| Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize | Finalist | [25] | ||
| 2014 | Forest of Reading Red Maple Award | Winner | [26] | |
| 2015 | We Are All Made of Molecules | Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature | Finalist | [27] |
| 2016 | Carnegie Medal | Longlist | [28][29] | |
| Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award | Winner | [30] | ||
| Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize | Finalist | |||
| 2018 | Optimists Die First | Carnegie Medal | Nominee | [31] |
| Federation of Children's Book Groups' Children's Book Award | Finalist | [32] | ||
| 2019 | No Fixed Address | IODE Violet Downey Book Award | Winner | [33] |
| Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize | Winner | [34][35] | ||
| 2020 | Carnegie Medal | Longlist | [36] | |
| Forest of Reading Red Maple Award | Winner | [37][38] | ||
| Princess Puffybottom . . . and Darryl | Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook of the Year Award | Shortlist | [39] | |
| 2022 | Tremendous Things | Carnegie Medal | Nominee | [40] |
| Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award | Shortlist | [41] |
Bibliography
Picture books
- The Magic Beads, illustrated by Geneviève Côté (2007)
- Princess Puffybottom . . . and Darryl , illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller (2019)
- All Cats Welcome, illustrated by Vivian Mineker (2022)
Middle grade and young adult books
- Mormor Moves In (2004)
- Hank and Fergus (2005)
- Word Nerd (2008)
- Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom (2010) – also published as My Messed-Up Life
- The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen (2012)
- We Are All Made of Molecules (2015)
- Optimists Die First (2017)
- No Fixed Address (2018)
- Tremendous Things (2021)
- Snap (2025)
