Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
1 appearances
-
Edition 98 (2019) Nominee
Veera Hiranandani
ヴィーラ・ヒラナンダニ
Veera Hiranandani
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Jewish and Hindu family background
- Residence History
- Raised in Connecticut, lives in New York, United States
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Children's author
- Active Years
- 2012-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington University | — | — | — | — | United States |
| Sarah Lawrence College | — | Fiction writing (studies) | — | — | United States |
George Washington University
Country:
United States
Sarah Lawrence College
Fiction writing (studies)
Country:
United States
Studied fiction writing
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Newbery Honor | The Night Diary | — | Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) | 名誉賞 |
| 2022 | Jane Addams Children's Book Award | How to Find What You're Not Looking For | — | Jane Addams Children's Book Award committee | 受賞 |
Newbery Honor
2019
Work:
The Night Diary
Organization:
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
Result:
名誉賞
Jane Addams Children's Book Award
2022
Work:
How to Find What You're Not Looking For
Organization:
Jane Addams Children's Book Award committee
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Jane Addams Children's Book Award
1 appearances
Works
Major Works
The Whole Story of Half a Girl
2012 Children's literatureA young-adult novel exploring identity, family, and cultural background. One of the author's first books.
IdentityCultural dualityFamily relationships
The Night Diary
2018 Children's literature (epistolary/diary-format novel)A diary-format novel set against the 1947 Partition of India, told from a child's perspective. Inspired in part by the author's family history, it deals with separation, family, and identity.
PartitionFamily and lossSelf-discovery
How to Find What You're Not Looking For
2021 Children's literatureA children's novel about discovery, growth, and friendship. Through characters facing unexpected changes, it highlights overlooked values and connections.
Coming of ageFriendshipSelf-understanding
Bibliography
- The Whole Story of Half a Girl
- The Night Diary
- How to Find What You're Not Looking For
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Clear, empathetic children's proseUse of diary/epistolary formats
- Recurring Motifs
- FamilyCultural identityMigration and division
Legacy
Veera Hiranandani has been recognized for bringing South Asian American perspectives to children's literature, notably with works set against the 1947 Partition of India. Her Newbery Honor in 2019 and other awards have made her work widely referenced in schools and libraries.
Trivia
- Her mother is Jewish and her father is Sindhi Hindu, giving her a diverse family background.
- The Night Diary was partly inspired by the experiences of her father during the Partition.
- Her debut The Whole Story of Half a Girl was a Sydney Taylor Notable Book and a South Asian Book Award finalist.