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Gennifer Choldenko

Goodreads Author

Born

Santa Monica, CA, The United States

Website

http://www.choldenko.com/

Member Since

January 2009

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/AlcatrazGirl

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There’s a Lego in my bum which fits with the Lego in my chair and when I sit down to write, I hear the satisfying snap of the two pieces fitting together. I love words, dictionaries, thesauruses, sharp pencils, the smell of book ink and the delicious art of carving out sentences on clean white paper. I love to slip into another person’s skin and feel what it’s like to live another life. I love when characters come to me out of nowhere and make me cry so hard my mascara runs or laugh until my stomach hurts. I love the crazy fun and infinite possibility of storytelling.

What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island Schoo There’s a Lego in my bum which fits with the Lego in my chair and when I sit down to write, I hear the satisfying snap of the two pieces fitting together. I love words, dictionaries, thesauruses, sharp pencils, the smell of book ink and the delicious art of carving out sentences on clean white paper. I love to slip into another person’s skin and feel what it’s like to live another life. I love when characters come to me out of nowhere and make me cry so hard my mascara runs or laugh until my stomach hurts. I love the crazy fun and infinite possibility of storytelling.

What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do, then a success at something I didn’t.

While I was pretending I wasn’t a writer, trying to be a nice person with a nice quiet job somewhere, I sold lingerie, lipstick and lamp shades. I wrote junk mail. I taught visually and hearing-impaired kids horseback riding. I held a prestigious job in rubbish removal and I worked in a factory wearing a paper gown while wielding a large mallet on small serving packages of ketchup.

One Third Nerd, my funniest novel yet, is due out in January 2019. My most famous novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, garnered 20 awards, one of which was the Newbery Honor. The Tales of Alcatraz series has sold more than 2 million copies. What will probably be the last book in the series: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the best of the fifteen books I’ve written so far.

I am a fitness fanatic; a book-obsessed, tennis-playing woman who thinks like a twelve-year-old. If I ever get the good fortune to meet you, offer me coffee and I will be your friend for life.
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Gennifer Choldenko’s books

Average rating: 3.83 · 58,429 ratings · 6,961 reviews · 20 distinct works • Similar authors

	Al Capone Does My Shirts (Al Capone at Alcatraz, #1) 3.84 avg rating — 37,558 ratings — published 2004 — 46 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Al Capone Shines My Shoes (Al Capone at Alcatraz, #2) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7,092 ratings — published 2009 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Al Capone Does My Homework (Al Capone at Alcatraz, #3) 4.10 avg rating — 2,871 ratings — published 2013 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period 3.51 avg rating — 2,596 ratings — published 2007 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	No Passengers Beyond This Point 3.48 avg rating — 2,533 ratings — published 2010 — 14 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Chasing Secrets 3.79 avg rating — 1,902 ratings — published 2015 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Notes from a Liar and Her Dog 3.73 avg rating — 1,227 ratings — published 2001 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dad and the Dinosaur by Gennifer Choldenko (Goodreads Author), Dan Santat (Goodreads Author) (Illustrations) 3.74 avg rating — 1,016 ratings — published 2017 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Al Capone Throws Me a Curve (Al Capone at Alcatraz, #4) 4.25 avg rating — 460 ratings — published 2018 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Louder, Lili by Gennifer Choldenko (Goodreads Author), S.D. Schindler (Illustrator) 3.80 avg rating — 137 ratings — published 2007 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Series by Gennifer Choldenko

Al Capone at Alcatraz (4 books)
by

Gennifer Choldenko (Goodreads Author)

3.88 avg rating — 47,978 ratings

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Gennifer Choldenko and 1 other person liked Jess at Such a Novel Idea's review of One-Third Nerd: "I received a copy of this book via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my review in any way. Check out the rest of the review at Such a Novel Idea. For me, there was a very specific reason I picked this..." Read more of this review »
Feb 01, 2019 05:48PM · see review
Gennifer Choldenko and 5 other people liked Amanda Rawson Hill's review of Al Capone Throws Me a Curve (Al Capone at Alcatraz, #4): "A perfect, perfect ending. My kids are so sad this is the last book. We love this series so much. "
Jan 30, 2019 10:31PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Gennifer Choldenko and 1 other person liked Christy Rawson's review of Al Capone Throws Me a Curve (Al Capone at Alcatraz, #4): "Such a wonderful series! It wraps up very nicely! Full of hope for the characters you come to learn and care about. "
Jan 21, 2019 02:50PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Gennifer Choldenko joined the groups BOOK LOVERS and KidsRead
Jan 19, 2019 03:17PM
Gennifer Choldenko and 2 other people liked Mary's review of Al Capone Throws Me a Curve (Al Capone at Alcatraz, #4): "Such an outstanding series, and the audio version is so well done!"
Jan 01, 2019 12:20PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Gennifer Choldenko made a comment on V’s review of Al Capone Throws Me a Curve (Al Capone at Alcatraz, #4) " twice_baked✌ wrote: "oh mannn those books made me cry too! Might check this one out :)" I'd love to know what you think if you decide to read the new o ...more "
Aug 24, 2018 12:35PM · see review
Gennifer Choldenko is now following Travis Jonker Author of The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story ...
May 31, 2018 09:17AM · like
Gennifer Choldenko made a comment on Lisa Mandina’s review of Chasing Secrets " Last 50 pages are the most exciting part! Thanks for reading this! "
Aug 05, 2015 12:40PM · see review

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Quotes by Gennifer Choldenko

“Nobody knows how things will turn out, that's why they go ahead and play the game...You give it your all and sometimes amazing things happen, but it's hardly ever what you expect.”
― Gennifer Choldenko, Al Capone Does My Shirts

tags: live-in-the-moment, optimism, possibility, uncertainty

132 likes

“Now I understand. When you love someone, you have to try things even if they don't make sense to anyone else.”
― Gennifer Choldenko, Al Capone Does My Shirts

54 likes

“Life is amazing, isn't it? You can't ever tell what will happen. Nobody knows until they go ahead and play the game.”
― Gennifer Choldenko, Al Capone Does My Shirts

29 likes

See all Gennifer Choldenko's quotes »

Polls

What first pick for a Newbery Honor?

(I tried to include all the books we have read, along with the books mentioned on our "the others good and up" thread, and a few on the Newbery 2010 list on goodreads. If, however, I have not included a book you want to vote for just send me a message or write a comment. I will add it to the list.)

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

8 votes 27.6%

All the Broken Pieces by Ann Burg

4 votes 13.8%

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

4 votes 13.8%

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

3 votes 10.3%

Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko

2 votes 6.9%

Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

1 vote 3.4%

The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O'Connor

1 vote 3.4%

Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur

1 vote 3.4%

Crossing Stones by Helen Frost

1 vote 3.4%

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

1 vote 3.4%

Neil Armstrong is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me by Nan Marino

1 vote 3.4%

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

1 vote 3.4%

Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

1 vote 3.4%

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

0 votes 0.0%

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine

0 votes 0.0%

Marcelo In The Real World by Francisco X. Stork

0 votes 0.0%

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

0 votes 0.0%

The Nine Pound Hammer by John Claude Bemis

0 votes 0.0%

Wild Things by Clay Carmichael

0 votes 0.0%

Slob by Ellen Potter

0 votes 0.0%

Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede

0 votes 0.0%

Forest Born by Shannon Hale

0 votes 0.0%

Charles and Emma The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

0 votes 0.0%

Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson

0 votes 0.0%

The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

0 votes 0.0%

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane

0 votes 0.0%

Here's How I See It--Here's How It Is by Heather Henson

0 votes 0.0%

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

0 votes 0.0%

The Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech

0 votes 0.0%

The Book of the Maidservant by Rebecca Barnhouse

0 votes 0.0%

29 total votes

1 comment

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Mock Newbery 2020: Sequels	4	71	Oct 19, 2009 07:55AM
The Seasonal Read...: WINTER CHALLENGE 2009-2010 COMPLETED TASKS	3151	3177	Feb 28, 2010 09:02PM
The Seasonal Read...: Spring Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks	2734	2433	May 31, 2010 09:00PM
Wild Things: YA G...: Fantastic Suggestions for Tweens (6th through 8th grade)	39	66	Jul 01, 2010 07:45AM
The Next Best Boo...: Krys's 2010 Reading Goal	14	128	Sep 19, 2010 08:32AM
Chicks On Lit: Krys's 2010 Reading List	15	118	Sep 19, 2010 08:32AM
The Seasonal Read...: * READERBOARD	10	595	Oct 17, 2010 10:08AM
The Seasonal Read...: Fall Challenge 2010 Completed Tasks (do NOT delete any posts in this thread)	2791	1125	Nov 30, 2010 09:03PM

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