Sonya Sones

Sonya Sones is an American writer of young adult novels. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts and currently lives near the beach in Southern California. After graduating from Hampshire College she taught film at Harvard University; her other jobs have included baby clothes designer, animator, photographer, and film editor. Her style differs from most contemporary writers in that her novels are told in verse form rather than prose. This means that they are comprised of a series of poems which, when read in order, tell a story.

Sones’s first three novels-in-verse have won numerous awards, including a "Christopher Award", the "Claudia Lewis Award for Poetry", the "Myra Cohn Livingston Poetry Award", and a nomination for a "Los Angeles Times Book Prize". The American Library Association has named all three of her novels-in-verse Best Books for Young Adults, and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. In 2004 and 2005, the ALA included "What My Mother Doesn’t Know" on their list of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books [ [http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm ALA: The Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2005] ] . In 2004, "One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies" was chosen a Popular Paperback by the ALA and received a Cuffie Award from Publishers Weekly for the Best Book Title of the Year.

Her fourth book, "What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know", was published by Simon and Schuster in June, 2007. It’s the sequel to "What My Mother Doesn’t Know", and picks up right where the other story leaves off, only it's told from Robin's point of view.It received a starred review in Booklist, and was chosen a Quick Pick by the American Library Association and will be in included on the California Readers high school level reading list.

Sones is married to screenwriter Bennett Tramer of Saved by the Bell. The two of them are coming out with a picture book, "Violet and Winston", in Spring 2009. It will be illustrated by 2006 Caldecott Medal winner Chris Raschka. She has two children by Tramer: Ava (born Jan. 1987) and Jeremy (born Feb. 1990). Jeremy is currently enrolled as a freshman at Georgetown University.

List of works

Novels in verse

*"Stop Pretending:What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy" (HarperCollins 1999)
*"What My Mother Doesn't Know" (Simon and Schuster 2001)
*"One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies" (Simon and Schuster 2004)
*"What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know" (Simon and Schuster 2007)

hort stories in verse

Short stories in verse are included in numerous anthologies, including:
*"Love and Sex" (2001) - a story called "Secret Shelf"
*"Necessary Noise" (2003) - a story called "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde"
*"Sixteen: Stories About that Sweet and Bitter Birthday" (2004) - a story called "Cat Got Your Tongue"

Notes

External links

*http://www.sonyasones.com/