Melanie Crowder author page

Melanie Crowder biography

Melanie Crowder is an American author known for her works in children’s and young adult literature. She holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Crowder’s writing spans both middle grade and young adult novels, often exploring themes of resilience and identity.

Her debut novel, Parched, was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2013. She has since authored several other books, including Audacity (Philomel Books, 2015), a historical novel in verse inspired by the life of labor activist Clara Lemlich. Crowder’s other works include A Nearer Moon (Atheneum, 2015), An Uninterrupted View of the Sky (Philomel Books, 2017), and Three Pennies (Atheneum, 2017). She has also written the middle grade duology West of the Sea and Mazie (Philomel Books, 2021).

Crowder’s books have received recognition from various organizations. Audacity was a National Jewish Book Award finalist in 2015. Her novel An Uninterrupted View of the Sky was a finalist for the 2017 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature.

In 2023, Melanie Crowder published The Lighthouse School with Philomel Books.