Wendelin Van Draanen

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Wendy P...
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Wendelin Van Draanen

Goodreads Author


Born
Chicago, Illinois, The United States
Website

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Member Since
April 2013


Wendelin Van Draanen has written more than thirty novels for young readers and teens. She is the author of the 18-book Edgar-winning Sammy Keyes series, and wrote Flipped which was named a Top 100 Children’s Novel for the 21st Century by SLJ, and became a Warner Brothers feature film with Rob Reiner directing. Her novel The Running Dream was awarded ALA’s Schneider Family Award for its portrayal of the disability experience.

Van Draanen's latest book, Hope in the Mail, is part memoir, part writing guided, designed to encourage aspiring writers to pursue their dream.

Van Draanen is also the author of two short chapter-book series. The Gecko & Sticky books, are fun read-alouds, perfect for reluctant readers, and the Shredderman books—featuring
...more

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Popular Answered Questions

Wendelin Van Draanen Hi, Hannah! When I was a classroom teacher I couldn't help but notice that the kids in my classes did the same thing I did at their age: Crush on some…moreHi, Hannah! When I was a classroom teacher I couldn't help but notice that the kids in my classes did the same thing I did at their age: Crush on someone without really knowing them. Despite a teacher's best intentions, there's no coaching rational considerations into kids with crushes. What could we possibly know about how they're feeling, right? And since the best epiphanies come about through experience, I hoped that showing characters experience an evolution from seeing only the surface to seeing what lies beneath it might be a way to encourage thought on what love really is. The rest of the story built up from there. Thanks for asking! (Please visit my website if you're interested in knowing more--there's a lot there on Flipped.)(less)
Wendelin Van Draanen I didn't notice the seed for The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones being planted. I just visited my mom every day at the care facility where she spent the …moreI didn't notice the seed for The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones being planted. I just visited my mom every day at the care facility where she spent the last two years of her life. I didn't see the story there--it was just something that was private and painful. Over those years I got to know the other residents as well as the caregivers. It wasn't until after my mom passed that I realized how much I'd witnessed, how much I'd learned. And then Lincoln's voice started up. That's what my characters do--one day they'll just start talking. Lincoln was who he was from that first voicing - funny, sweet, smart...and alone. A boy who uses writing as therapy, as escape. A boy who sees one world and wishes for another. A boy who needs to break free of his secrets.(less)
Average rating: 4.07 · 216,307 ratings · 21,371 reviews · 47 distinct worksSimilar authors
Flipped

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 125,251 ratings — published 2001 — 69 editions
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The Running Dream

4.29 avg rating — 32,273 ratings — published 2011 — 28 editions
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Wild Bird

4.19 avg rating — 7,759 ratings — published 2017 — 12 editions
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Sammy Keyes and the Hotel T...

3.98 avg rating — 6,458 ratings — published 1998 — 42 editions
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Runaway

4.11 avg rating — 4,735 ratings — published 2006 — 19 editions
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Sammy Keyes and the Sisters...

4.09 avg rating — 2,840 ratings — published 1999 — 31 editions
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Sammy Keyes and the Skeleto...

4.08 avg rating — 2,782 ratings — published 1998 — 38 editions
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Sammy Keyes and the Hollywo...

4.11 avg rating — 2,416 ratings — published 2001 — 29 editions
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Secret Identity (Shredderma...

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3.78 avg rating — 2,496 ratings — published 2004 — 22 editions
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Sammy Keyes and the Art of ...

4.19 avg rating — 2,252 ratings — published 2003
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More books by Wendelin Van Draanen…

Creating Hope





Ten years of hope flowed through this box.


It’s been a funny evolution, one that underscores how time,
distance, and a study in perspective can change your view on things. Many of
you already know that it took me a long time to get my first book published.
long time. And during those years I viewed the mailbox
mounted inside the porch of our rundown little rental with mixed emotions.
Mornings, whe Read more of this blog post »
7 likes ·   •  1 comment  •  flag
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Published on July 18, 2019 11:35
Sammy Keyes and the Hotel T... Sammy Keyes and the Skeleto... Sammy Keyes and the Sisters... Sammy Keyes and the Runaway... Sammy Keyes and the Curse o... Sammy Keyes and the Hollywo... Sammy Keyes and the Search ...
(18 books)
by
4.13 avg rating — 35,496 ratings

Secret Identity Attack of the Tagger Meet the Gecko Enemy Spy
(4 books)
by
3.87 avg rating — 3,828 ratings

Villain's Lair The Greatest Power Sinister Substitute The Power Potion
(4 books)
by
3.71 avg rating — 435 ratings

Wendelin’s Recent Updates

The Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van Draanen
"I absolutely loved this book!! Such great messages and strong friendships full of love through thick and thin. Great book!"
The Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van Draanen
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The Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van Draanen
"I see myself in all the characters and used it as a chance to self reflect. The ability to heal human relationships is a gift. "
The Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van Draanen
"The Peach Rebellion is a moving tale of friendship, courage, and recovering from tragedy. Tackling a multitude of timeless issues from differences in social status to gender inequality and grief, this historical fiction title is impressively suitable" Read more of this review »
Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen
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Hope in the Mail by Wendelin Van Draanen
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Quotes by Wendelin Van Draanen  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss...." He turned to me. "But every once in a while, you find someone who's iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare.”
Wendelin Van Draanen, Flipped

“My heart stopped. It just stopped beating. And for the first time in my life, I had that feeling. You know, like the world is moving all around you, all beneath you, all inside you, and you're floating. Floating in midair. And the only thing keeping you from drifting away is the other person's eyes. They're connected to yours by some invisible physical force, and they hold you fast while the rest of the world swirls and twirls and falls completely away.”
Wendelin Van Draanen, Flipped

“...Next time you're faced with a choice, do the right thing. It hurts everyone less in the long run.”
Wendelin Van Draanen, Flipped

Polls

What book would you like for our themed read (Characters with Disabilities) for October?

 
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