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G. Neri

Goodreads Author

Born

in Los Angeles, The United States

Website

http://www.gneri.com

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, Children's Books

Member Since

November 2007

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G. Neri is the Coretta Scott King honor-winning author of Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty and the recipient of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award for his free-verse novella, Chess Rumble. His books have been translated into multiple languages in over 25 countries. They include the novels Tru & Nelle, A Christmas Tale, Ghetto Cowboy, Knockout Games, Surf Mules, and two free-verse picture book bios, When Paul Met Artie and Hello, I'm Johnny Cash. In 2017, he was awarded a National Science Foundation grant that sent him to Antarctica.

Prior to becoming a writer, Neri was a filmmaker, an animator/illustrator, a digital media producer, and a founding member of The Truth anti-smoking campaign. Neri currently writes full-time a ...more

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G. Neri’s books

Average rating: 3.94 · 17,608 ratings · 3,383 reviews · 24 distinct works • Similar authors

	Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri (Goodreads Author), Randy DuBurke (Illustrator) 3.99 avg rating — 6,949 ratings — published 2010 — 7 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
	Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri (Goodreads Author), Jesse Joshua Watson (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 2,955 ratings — published 2011 — 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
	Tru & Nelle (Tru & Nelle, #1) 3.79 avg rating — 1,972 ratings — published 2016	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
	Grand Theft Horse by G. Neri (Goodreads Author), Corban Wilkin (Illustrations) 4.20 avg rating — 876 ratings — published 2018 — 4 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
	Hello, I'm Johnny Cash by G. Neri (Goodreads Author), A.G. Ford (Illustrations) 4.17 avg rating — 481 ratings — published 2014	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
	Chess Rumble 4.14 avg rating — 341 ratings — published 2007 — 4 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
	When Paul Met Artie: The Story of Simon & Garfunkel by G. Neri (Goodreads Author), David Litchfield (Goodreads Author) (illustrator) 4.27 avg rating — 298 ratings — published 2018	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
	Knockout Games 3.72 avg rating — 268 ratings — published 2014 — 8 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
	Tru & Nelle: A Christmas Tale (Tru & Nelle, #2) 3.87 avg rating — 241 ratings — published 2017 — 4 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
	My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More by G. Neri (Goodreads Author), Corban Wilkin (Illustrator) 4.44 avg rating — 201 ratings — published 2024 — 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

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G. Neri's Blog

FAQ

Usually adults ask me what I do for a living (I'm a writer) and do I really get paid for that (yes). But here are some actual questions that I get asked a lot from students I've encountered! (In no particular order).

1. Where do you get your ideas? Ideas are like driving at night across Alligator Alley in Florida. A lot of bugs will hit your windshield, but every once in a while a real whopper w

Series by G. Neri

Ghetto Cowboy (2 books)
by

G. Neri (Goodreads Author),

Jesse Joshua Watson (Goodreads Author) (Illustrations)

3.93 avg rating — 3,004 ratings

Tru & Nelle (2 books)
by

G. Neri (Goodreads Author)

3.80 avg rating — 2,213 ratings

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G.’s Recent Updates

G. rated a book really liked it The Anthony Bourdain Reader: New, Classic, and Rediscovered Writing by Anthony Bourdain	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
18 hours, 0 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Anthony Bourdain Reader by Anthony Bourdain. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Anthony Bourdain Reader by Anthony Bourdain <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
G. rated a book really liked it Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt	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
Apr 02, 2026 08:26AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Simple Dreams by Linda Ronstadt. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Simple Dreams by Linda Ronstadt <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
G. rated a book it was amazing Bread of Angels: A Memoir by Patti Smith (Goodreads Author)	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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G. rated a book really liked it It's Not What You Thought It Would Be by Lizzy Stewart	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
Mar 13, 2026 10:38AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of It's Not What You Thought It Would Be by Lizzy Stewart. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — It's Not What You Thought It Would Be by Lizzy Stewart <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
G. rated a book really liked it We the Pizza: Slangin' Pies and Savin' Lives by Muhammad Abdul-Hadi	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
Mar 03, 2026 08:17PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of We the Pizza by Muhammad Abdul-Hadi. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — We the Pizza by Muhammad Abdul-Hadi <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
G. rated a book it was amazing Living in the Present with John Prine by Tom Piazza	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
Feb 25, 2026 08:11AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Living in the Present with John Prine by Tom Piazza. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Living in the Present with John Prine by Tom Piazza <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
G. rated a book liked it Calamity Before Jane: A TOON Graphic by Noah Van Sciver	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
Feb 21, 2026 08:30PM · like
G. rated a book it was amazing Scene: A Memoir by Abel Ferrara	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
Feb 19, 2026 07:52AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Scene by Abel Ferrara. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Scene by Abel Ferrara <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
G. rated a book really liked it Tótem by Laura Pérez (Goodreads Author)	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
Feb 13, 2026 10:21AM · 1 like · like
G. has read Land Of The Sons by Gipi	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
Maybe the best post-apocalyptic story I have read. The visual story-telling is stunning.
Feb 13, 2026 06:45AM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Land Of The Sons by Gipi. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Land Of The Sons by Gipi <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by G. Neri (?)

“When gangs took over the [abandoned public land in Philadelphia] and the neighborhood took a turn for the worse, horses became a way of saving lives. By getting boys interested in raising a horse rather than killing another human being, these cowboys gave the youth something positive: father figures, focus, and the ability to stand tall.”
― G. Neri, Ghetto Cowboy

tags: city-life, horses, inspiration, role-models

5 likes

“Tru, this is your home. You are my blood kin, my second cousin thrice removed. But blood kin's not the most important kin. Do you know what is?" "No, sir." "Love kin. And that comes from the heart. That's why this is your home.”
― G. Neri, Tru & Nelle

tags: belonging, family, heart, home, kin, love

4 likes

“Don't steal nobody's cattle or their women. Treat your horse like your best friend, because sometimes that's all you got. Most important, trust and believe in your guys and always have their back when they need you.”
― G. Neri, Ghetto Cowboy

1 likes

See all G. Neri's quotes »

Polls

What should we read in October?

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

4 votes 22.2%

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

3 votes 16.7%

Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill

3 votes 16.7%

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

2 votes 11.1%

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

1 vote 5.6%

White Cat by Holly Black

1 vote 5.6%

Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett

1 vote 5.6%

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri

1 vote 5.6%

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner

1 vote 5.6%

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

1 vote 5.6%

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus

0 votes 0.0%

As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins

0 votes 0.0%

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

0 votes 0.0%

Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

0 votes 0.0%

Borrowed Names: Poems About Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Daughters by Jeannine Atkins

0 votes 0.0%

The War to End All Wars by Russell Freedman

0 votes 0.0%

Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill

0 votes 0.0%

They Called Themselves the K.K.K. by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

0 votes 0.0%

The White Horse Trick by Kate Thompson

0 votes 0.0%

The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt

0 votes 0.0%

18 total votes

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Cover to Cover Ch...: Aths' 100 books in 2011	4	36	Apr 03, 2011 11:12AM
The Seasonal Read...: Summer Challenge 2012: Completed Tasks - DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC	2637	937	Aug 31, 2012 09:02PM
Young Adult Book ...: Middle Grade/YA: Is there such a thing as a book on the border?	11	49	Mar 24, 2013 05:33PM
The Challenge Fac...: TCF's Hangman	873	437	Jan 04, 2016 02:49PM
The Challenge Fac...: BOOK it to the finish line! - August 2016	47	103	Sep 03, 2016 08:25AM
The Challenge Fac...: TCF's 2016 Summer Seasonal Challenge	62	158	Sep 21, 2016 04:43PM
The Challenge Fac...: Cities of the World - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	23	54	Oct 01, 2016 09:48PM
WACKY READING CHA...: Favorite Actor/Actress Challenge	138	152	Jun 03, 2017 07:59AM

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