Jennifer L. Holm

Jennifer L. Holm is an American writer. She writes short chapter books. Her books are for children. She won the John Newbery Medal honor. ShHe won this award 3 times. The books that won this award are: “Our only May Amelia” (2000), “Penny from Heaven” (2007), and “Turtle in Paradise” (2011).

Holm was born in California in 1968. She grew up in Audubon, Pennsylvania.  Her father, William W. Holm, was a pediatrician. Her mother, Beverly A. Holm, was a pediatric nurse.  She married Jonathan Hamel, who was both a writer and a computer programmer. She went to Dickinson College in 1990. She has two children, Will and Millie May.

Before becoming a writer, Holm wanted to join the government office. Holm chose not to join the government office. She later chose to become a television worker who makes television advertisements. While she worked there, she started to write her first book. Holm was first inspired by her English teacher in high school. He helped her  make stories in her mind.^[1]

Holm has written 59 books. She makes short books for children. Holm says that she wants to make reading easier for kids. This way, kids will feel encouraged. She hopes to guide them to read big chapter books when they grow up. Holm has written both chapter books and graphic novels.^[2]

Holm has won 58 awards in total. Her writing is loved by both kids and their parents. Big awards she has won are: John Newberry Medal honor 3 times, as well as  the ALSC Notable Children's Books. She has won awards in both her chapter books and graphic novels.^[1]

• Turtle in Paradise
• Our Only May Amelia
• The Trouble with May Amelia
• Penny From Heaven
• Boston Jane: An Adventure
• Boston Jane: Wilderness Days
• Boston Jane: The Claim
• Babymouse: Queen of the World!
• Babymouse: Our Hero!
• Babymouse: Heartbreaker
• Babymouse: Rock Star
• Babymouse: Beach Babe!
• Babymouse: Puppy Love
• Babymouse: Camp Babymouse
• Babymouse: Skater Girl
• Babymouse: Monster Mash
• Babymouse: Dragonslayer
• Babymouse: Heartbreaker
• Babymouse: Mad Scientist
• Babymouse: The Musical
• Babymouse: Cupcake Tycoon
• Babymouse for President
• Babymouse Burns Rubber
• Babymouse Goes for the Gold
• Happy Birthday Babymouse
• A Very Babymouse Christmas
• Extreme Babymouse
• Bad Babysitter
• Babymouse Tales From The Locker: Lights, Camera, Middle School!
• Babymouse Tales From The Locker: Miss Communication
• Babymouse Tales From The Locker: School-Tripped
• Babymouse Tales From The Locker: Curtain Call
• Babymouse Tales From The Locker: Whisker Wizard
• The Big Adventures of Babymouse: Once Upon a Messy Whisker
• Squish: Game On!
• Squish: Super Amoeba
• Squish: The Power of the Parasite
• Squish: Fear the Amoeba
• Squish: Brave New Pond
• Squish: Pod vs. Pod
• Squish: Captain Disaster
• Squish: Deadly Disease of Doom
• The Fourteenth Goldfish
• Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf
• The Postman Always Brings Mice
• To Scratch a Thief
• You Only Have Nine Lives
• The Creek
• The Lion of Mars
• Sunny Side Up
• Sunny Makes a Splash
• Swing It, Sunny
• Sunny Rolls the Dice
• Sunny Makes Her Case
• Comics Squad Lunch!
• Comics Squad Detention!
• Comics Squad Recess!
• Full of Beans
• The Evil Princess vs. the Brave Knight
• Turtle in Paradise: The Graphic Novel

Her awards include:

For Our Only May Amelia

• Parents’ Choice Silver Award
• The Best Book of the Year Designation
• Newbery Honor
• Notable Book Designation
• American Library Association (ALA)
• Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies Designation
• National Council for the Social Studies
• Utah Book Award
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award

For Boston Jane: An Adventure

• Parent’s Guide to Children’s Media Award
• ALA Best Books for Young Adults citation
• Book Sense 76 Pick

For Penny From Heaven

• Newbery Honor

For Baby Mouse:  Queen of the World!

• Gryphon Award
• ALA Notable Children’s Book
• New York Book Show Awards

For Baby Mouse for President

• Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for best publication for early readers

• "Jennifer L. Holm." Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Biography in Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.