Norma Klein

Norma Klein
Born	May 13, 1938(1938-05-13) New York, New York, United States
Died	April 25, 1989(1989-04-25) (aged 50) New York City, United States
Occupation	Novelist
Nationality	American
Period	1973–1989
Genres	Young adult fiction

Norma Klein (May 13, 1938-April 25, 1989) was a US children's book author. She was born, grew up and lived in New York City for most of her life. She died, after a brief illness, in New York City.^[1]

Ms. Klein was best known for her adult novel Sunshine, about a young woman with a terminal illness. She was also well known for her children's novel Mom, the Wolfman and Me about a girl with an unmarried mother. Ms. Klein's work dealt openly with controversial subjects, including racism, homosexuality, adoption, and death.

She wrote many novels for children and young adults including Family Secrets, which has been challenged for inclusion in school libraries, and is ranked at #76 on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books for 1990-1999.^[2]

Bibliography

Picture books

Girls Can Be Anything (1973)
A Train for Jane (1974)
If I Had My Way (1974)
Dinosaurs Housewarming Party (1974)
Naomi in the Middle (1974)
Blue Trees, Red Sky (1975)
A Surprise Party for Dinosaur (1977)
Visiting Pamela (1990)

Books for middle readers

Mom, the Wolf Man and Me (1972)
It's Not What You Expect (1973)
Confessions of an Only Child (1974)
Taking Sides (1974)
What It's All about (1975)
Tomboy (1978)
A Honey of a Chimp (1980)
Robbie and the Leap Year Blues (1981)
Bizou (1983)
The Cheerleader (1985)
Snapshots (1986)
Now That I Know (1988)

Books for teen readers

Hiding (1976)
It's Okay If You Don't Love Me (1977)

Jody Epstein, a New York native and senior in high school, begins dating Lyle, a Midwesterner with a more conservative background. During their relationship, she has a liasion with an ex-boyfriend, and she begins to understand the complex interrelationship between love and sex.

Love is One of the Choices (1978)
Breaking Up (1980)

Alison Rose, 15, daughter of divorced parents, and her older brother Martin visit her father and stepmother in Northern California for the summer after spending the school year in New York with her mother, Cynthia. During her summer in California, she becomes embroiled in tensions between her father, who attempts to gain custody, when Alison Rose's mother is found to be lesbian. Alison also falls in love with her best friend Gretchen's brother, Ethan, causing an estrangement with Gretchen.

French Postcards (1980)
Domestic Arrangements (1982)
Queen of the What Ifs (1982)
Beginner's Love (1983)
The Swap (1983)
Angel Face (1984)
Family Secrets (1985)
Give and Take (1985)
Going Backwards (1986)
My Life As a Body (1987)
Older Men (1988)
That's My Baby (1988)
No More Saturday Nights (1988)

Tim Weber, a high school senior who has gotten his girlfriend Cheryl pregnant, decides to keep the baby himself instead of putting him up for adoption. He takes his son, Weber, to school with him at Columbia University and faces the challenges of being pre-med and a teenaged father.

Learning How to Fall (1989)
Just Friends (1990)

Books for adults

Sunshine (1975)
Girls Turn Wives (1976)
Give Me One Good Reason (1977)
Coming to Life (1977)
Sunshine Christmas (1978)
Sunshine Years (1981)
Wives and Other Women (1982)
Lovers (1984)
Baryshnikov's Nutcracker (1986)
American Dreams (1987)
The World As It Is (1989)

References

1. ^ New York Times obituary, 4.27.1989
2. ^ ALA’s list of most challenged books 1990–1999

External links

• Norma Klein bibliography at fantasticfiction.co.uk

Persondata
Name	Klein, Norma
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	May 13, 1938
Place of birth	New York, New York, United States
Date of death	April 25, 1989
Place of death	New York City, United States