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Elaine M. Alphin

エレイン・マリー・アルフィン

Elaine M. Alphin

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1955-10-30 （San Francisco, California, U.S.）
Died
2014-08-19 （Glenrock, Wyoming, U.S.） age 58
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
San Francisco, California (birthplace) → Bozeman, Montana (burial / associated place) → Glenrock, Wyoming (late residence / place of death)

Career

Occupations
Author
Active Years
1991-2014

Awards

Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel
2001
Work: Counterfeit Son
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: 受賞
Carter G. Woodson Book Award
2011
Work: An Unspeakable Crime: The Prosecution and Persecution of Leo Frank
Organization: Carter G. Woodson Book Award (awarding organization)
Result: 受賞
Foreword Book of the Year Gold Medal (Young Adult Fiction)
2006
Work: The Perfect Shot
Organization: Foreword Reviews
Result: 受賞（Gold Medal）
Bank Street College Children's/Teen Selection
2004
Work: I Have Not Yet Begun To Fight
Organization: Bank Street College
Result: 選出
Young Hoosier Book Award
2004
Work: Ghost Soldier
Organization: Young Hoosier Book Award
Result: 受賞
VOYA Top Shelf Fiction Award
2005
Work: The Perfect Shot
Organization: VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
Result: 受賞
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award
2003
Work: Dinosaur Hunter
Organization: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
Result: 受賞
Society of Midland Authors Children's Fiction Award
2002
Work: Ghost Soldier
Organization: Society of Midland Authors
Result: 受賞
Virginia State Reading Association Award
1995
Work: The Ghost Cadet
Organization: Virginia State Reading Association
Result: 受賞
Indianapolis Christian University International Washington Irving Literary Award (Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Writing)
2000
Organization: Indianapolis Christian University
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Ghost Cadet

1991 Children's ghost story / YA

A story about the ghost of a child soldier from the Civil War who interacts with present-day children to resolve unfinished business. One of Alphin's most popular works.

ghostshistorycoming-of-age

Counterfeit Son

2000 YA psychological thriller

A psychological novel dealing with abuse and trauma, focusing on a protagonist's struggle with identity and past.

child abuseidentitypsychological trauma

Ghost Soldier

2001 Children's ghost story / YA

A companion novel to The Ghost Cadet focusing on Civil War child-soldier ghosts in a mystery framework.

ghostshistorymystery

The Perfect Shot

2005 Young adult fiction

A novel that addresses violence among youth and underlying issues; it received multiple recognitions.

violencefriendshipethics

An Unspeakable Crime: The Prosecution and Persecution of Leo Frank

2010 Non-fiction (history / social)

A nonfiction account of the Leo Frank case from the early 20th century, dealing with issues of prejudice, justice, and persecution.

historyjusticeprejudice and persecution

A Bear for Miguel

1996 Children's picture book

A children's picture book illustrated by Joan Sandin.

friendshipfamily

Bibliography

  • The Ghost Cadet (1991)
  • The Proving Ground (1992)
  • 101 Bible Puzzles (1993)
  • Tournament of Time (1994)
  • Rainy Day / Sunny Day / Any Day Activities (1994)
  • A Bear for Miguel (1996)
  • Counterfeit Son (2000)
  • Creating Characters Kids Will Love (2000)
  • Ghost Soldier (2001)
  • Around the World in 1500 (2001)
  • Simon Says (2002)
  • Germ Hunter: A Story about Louis Pasteur (2002)
  • Picture Perfect (2003)
  • Davy Crockett (2003)
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower (2004, co-authored)
  • Dinosaur Hunter (2004)
  • The Perfect Shot (2005)
  • An Unspeakable Crime: The Prosecution and Persecution of Leo Frank (2010)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Realistic YA prose emphasizing psychological depth and suspense
Recurring Motifs
ghosts/spiritshistorical settingschild abuse and trauma

Health

  • Stroke
    2011年8月以降
    Suffered a stroke in August 2011, which reportedly affected her subsequent writing activity.

Legacy

Elaine M. Alphin was an author of over thirty books for children and young adults, known for historical fiction and psychological thrillers addressing difficult social themes. She won the Edgar Award for Counterfeit Son and her works frequently appear on state reading lists and children's literature selections.

Trivia

  • She generally published under her married name and did not use a prominent pen name.
  • Co-wrote several historical biographies with her husband Arthur B. Alphin.
  • Authored more than thirty books for children and young adults.
  • Died at her home in Glenrock, Wyoming on August 19, 2014; interred at Sunset Hills Cemetery in Bozeman, Montana.