Biography

Lesléa (pronounced "Lez-LEE-uh") Newman is the author of 60 books including A Letter to Harvey Milk, Nobody's Mother, Hachiko Waits, Write from the Heart, The Boy Who Cried Fabulous, The Best Cat in the World, and Heather Has Two Mommies.   She has received many literary awards including Poetry Fellowships from the Massachusetts Artists Fellowship Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Highlights for Children Fiction Writing Award, the James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, and three Pushcart Prize Nominations. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists.   Ms. Newman wrote Heather Has Two Mommies, the first children's book to portray lesbian families in a positive way, and has followed up this pioneering work with several more children's books on lesbian and gay families: Felicia's Favorite Story, Too Far Away to Touch, Saturday Is Pattyday, Mommy, Mama, and Me, and Daddy, Papa, and Me.

She is also the author of many books for adults that deal with lesbian identity, Jewish identity and the intersection and collision between the two. Other topics Ms. Newman explores include AIDS, eating disorders, butch/femme relationships and sexual abuse. Her award-winning short story, A Letter To Harvey Milk has been made into a film and adapted for the stage.   In addition to being an author, Ms. Newman is a popular guest lecturer, and has spoken on college campuses across the country including Harvard University, Yale University, the University of Oregon, Bryn Mawr College, Smith College and the University of Judaism. From 2005-2009, Lesléa was on the faculty of the Stonecoast MFA program at the University of Southern Maine. From 2008-2010, she served as the Poet Laureate of Northampton, MA. She has taught fiction writing at Clark University and currently she is a faculty mentor at Spalding University's brief residency MFA in Writing program [www.spalding.edu/mfa].   Recent projects include October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard, a cycle of 68 poems that explores the imapct of Matthew Shepard's murder upon the world (Candlewick Press, 2012); A Sweet Passover, a picture book that stars a little girl named Miriam who, by the last day of Passover is "sick, sick, sick of matzo" (Abrams, 2012); I Remember: Hachiko Speaks, a chapbook of poems written from the point of view of Japan's famous Akita who waited ten years for his master's return (Finishing Line Press, 2012); and A Kiss on the Keppie, a picture book about a little boy who gets kisses from all family members (including his puppy, Dreidel) all day long (Amazon Children's Publishing, 2012).

Contact Info

Lesléa Newman Email: leslea@lesleakids.com Newsletter: Subscribe now! For questions regarding this web site contact: webmaster@networld-project.com

Awards Finalist, Provincetown Outermost Cape Poetry Contest, 2013 Teen Angels American Library Association Stonewall Honor Book, 2013 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard American Library Association LGBT Round Table Rainbow Book, 2013 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People, 2013 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard Young Adult Library Services Association Best Fiction for Young Adults Book, 2013 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard Nominee, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Reader's Choice List, 2013 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard Sydney Taylor Honor Book, 2013 A Sweet Passover Campus Book-in Common Selection, Spalding University, 2012-2013 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard Nerdy Book Club Poetry Award, 2012 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard Poetry Foundation Children's Poet Laureate Pick November 2012 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard Starred Review, Booklist, September 15, 2012 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard Audiofile Earphones Award, 2012 October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard (audiobook) Finalist, Dog Writers Association Maxwell Medallion Award, 2012 I Remember: Hachiko Speaks Winner, Voices of Youth Award (VOYA) Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL 2011 "Hachiko Waits" Winner, Bluestem Illinois Readers Choice Award, 2011 "Hachiko Waits" Second Runner Up, Solstice Literary Journal Poetry Prize, 2010 "Poem for Two Dogs Hanged in Salem, Massachusetts, 1692" Finalist, ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year, General Fiction Category, 2010 "The Reluctant Daughter" Hachamat Lev Award, 2010 Awarded by Keshet Foundation "For enduring commitment to justice and full inclusion for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in the Jewish community and beyond". Certificate of Excellence, Cat Writers of America, 2009 "Old Girl" Muse Medallion, Cat Writers of American 2009 "Old Girl" Certificate of Excellence, Dog Writers Association of America "Mon Ami" Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Best Book Award, 2009 "Mommy, Mama, and Me", "Daddy, Papa, and Me" American Library Association Notable Children’s Books 2010 "Mommy, Mama, and Me" American Library Association Stonewall Book Awards 2010 Honor Books: "Mommy, Mama, and Me", "Daddy, Papa, and Me" American Library Association Rainbow List of GLBT Books for Children and Teens "Mommy, Mama, and Me", "Daddy, Papa, and Me" Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Choices 2010 "Mommy, Mama, and Me", "Daddy, Papa, and Me" Burning Bush Poetry Award, 2009 "What the Angel Really Said" Quill and Ink Poetry Award, 2009 Awarded by the Florence Poets Society, Florence, MA Poet Laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts, 2008 Finalist, Sow Ear's Poetry Review Competition, 2007 "Jewish Tradition" Semi-Finalist, Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry, Nimrod: An International Journal of Poetry and Prose, 2007 "The Woodgatherer Speaks" Semi-Finalist,, National Literary Awards, Salem College Women's Center, Winston-Salem, NC, 2007 "Mother" Nominee, West Virginia Children's Book Award, 2006-2007 Hachiko Waits Continuing the Legacy of Stonewall Award, presented by the University of Massachusetts Stonewall Center, 2006 Nominee, Young Hoosier Book Award, Intermediate Category, 2007-2008 Hachiko Waits Nominee, Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award, 2007 Hachiko Waits Winner, Emphasis on Reading Alabama's Children's Choice Book Award Program, 2005-2006 Hachiko Waits ALA Amelia Bloomer List of Feminist Titles for Young Readers, 2006 A Fire Engine for Ruthie Finalist, Reader/Selector List for Show Me Readers Award (Missouri Association of School Librarians), 2006 The Best Cat in the World Nomination, Best Book for Young Adults, 2006 Jailbait Kiriyama Prize Notable Book, 2005 Hachiko Waits Volunteer State Book Award Master List, 2006-2007 Hachiko Waits Nomination, Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 2006 Jailbait Nomination, Great Lakes' Great Book Award, 2006 Hachiko Waits Bank Street College of Education, Best Children's Books of the Year 2005 Hachiko Waits Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List, 2005 Hachiko Waits ASPCA Henry Bergh Honor Book, 2005 Hachiko Waits Children's Book Council & International Reading Assoc. Children's Choices List, 2005 The Best Cat in the World Muse Medallion, Cat Writers Association, 2004 The Best Cat in the World Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Book, Gold Seal Award, 2005 A Fire Engine for Ruthie Booksense Pick of the List, fall 2004 Hachiko Waits Certificate of Excellence, Cat Writers Association, 2004 The Best Cat in the World Booksense Pick of the List, Spring/Summer 2004 The Boy Who Cried Fabulous   Seal of Approval, National Parenting Center, 2004 The Boy Who Cried Fabulous   Finalist, Sue Saniel Elkind Poetry Contest, 2003 The Last Word   Nomination, Pushcart Prize, 2003 Nominated by the poet, Antler   Honorable Mention, The Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation, 2003 A Letter to Harvey Milk   Association of Jewish Libraries Notable Book for Young Readers, 2002 Runaway Dreidel!   Finalist, Lambda Literary Awards, Romance Category, 2002 She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not   Finalist, Lambda Literary Awards, Anthology Category, 2002 Bedroom Eyes: Stories of Lesbians in the Boudoir   Finalist, Lambda Literary Awards, Children's Book Category, 2002 Felicia's Favorite Story   American Booksellers Association Pick of the Lists, Picture Books, 2001 Cats, Cats, Cats!   Finalist, Lambda Literary Award, Lesbian Poetry Category, 2000 Signs of Love   Grant Recipient, Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, Inc., 2000 Awarded on the basis of the short story, "Keeping a Breast" Winner, Americus Review Poetry Contest, 2000 "The Politics of Buddy" Nomination, Pushcart Prize, 2000 Nominated by the poet, Antler First Place Winner, Vice Versa Awards for Excellence in the Gay and Lesbian Press, Humor Category, 1999 "Cher Heaven" Induction, Jericho High School Hall of Fame, 1999 Finalist, Lambda Literary Awards, Poetry Category, 1998 The Little Butch Book Finalist, Small Press Book Awards, 1998 Out of the Closet and Nothing to Wear Nomination, Pushcart Prize, 1998 Nominated by the poet, Antler, for poems from Still Life with Buddy Finalist, Iowa Teen Award, 1997-1998 Fat Chance Poetry Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts, 1997 Awarded on the basis of a selection from Still Life with Buddy Books for the Teen Age, 1996 A Loving Testimony: Remembering Loved Ones Lost to AIDS Selected by Office of Young Adult Services, The New York Public Library Community Services Award, 1995 Presented by the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Political Caucus Finalist, Lambda Literary Award, Anthology Category, 1995 A Loving Testimony: Remembering Loved Ones Lost to AIDS Gemini Award, Best Short Drama 1995 Spoken Word: "A Letter to Harvey Milk" Presented by The Canadian Academy of Film and Television Finalist, Lambda Literary Award, Children's Book Category, 1994 Saturday Is Pattyday Silver Award, The Parents' Choice Foundation, 1994 Fat Chance James Baldwin Award For Cultural Achievement, 1993 awarded by The Greater Boston Area Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance Winner, Highlights For Children Fiction Writing Contest, 1992 Remember That Author of the Month: Highlights For Children, December 1992 Remember That Finalist, Lambda Literary Award, Children's Book Category, 1992 Gloria Goes To Gay Pride Winner, Best Narrative Film, Ann Arbor Film Festival, 1990 "A Letter to Harvey Milk", Produced by Yariv Cohen Finalist, Lambda Literary Award, Children's Book Category, 1990 Heather Has Two Mommies Poetry Fellowship, Massachusetts Artist Foundation, 1989 awarded on the basis of a selection of poems Commendation, National Poetry Competition, 1988 sponsored by the Chester H. Jones Foundation: "What Good" Second Place Finalist, 1987 Raymond Carver Short Story Competition, 1987 "Something to Pass the Time" Honorable Mention, Urban Arts in Transit Competition 1987 "Songs for Ten Scallops" Runner Up, American Poetry Association Love Poem Competition, 1987 "Love after love after love after love and finally"

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