Aiden Thomas

Aiden Thomas
Thomas in 2024
Thomas in 2024
NationalityAmerican
CitizenshipUnited States of America
Alma materMills College
GenreYoung adult fiction
Notable worksCemetery Boys
Website
www.aiden-thomas.com

Aiden Thomas is a Latino American author of young adult novels, best known for the book Cemetery Boys which was a New York Times bestseller and won numerous awards, including best of the year recognition from the American Library Association, Publishers Weekly, Barnes & Noble, NPR and School Library Journal.

Personal life

Thomas was born in Oakland, California, and received a MFA in creative writing from Mills College.[1] They live in Portland.[2]

Thomas is transgender and uses he/they pronouns.[3][4]

Books

Cemetery Boys

Main article: Cemetery Boys

Cemetery Boys was published on September 1, 2020, by Swoon Reads.[5] It tells the story of Yadriel, who is queer, transgender, Latino and a brujo. Unfortunately, his family does not recognize him as a man, which has serious effects on his abilities.

The book was named a best seller by The New York Times and IndieBound,[5] and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly[6] and Booklist.[7]

Lost in the Never Woods

Lost in the Never Woods was published on March 23, 2021, by Swoon Reads.[8] It is a retelling of Peter Pan. The book, as well as the audiobook, received a starred review from Booklist.[9][10]

The Sunbearer Trials duology

In November 2021, Thomas announced the release of their next book, The Sunbearer Trials, a Mexican-inspired fantasy.[11] The book was published on September 6, 2022 by Feiwel & Friends.[12] It received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly.[13][14]

In November 2023, Thomas announced the finale in this series, Celestial Monsters.[15] The book was published on September 3, 2024 by Feiwel & Friends.[16] It received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus Reviews.[16][17]

Just Max

In October 2021, Thomas announced the acquisition of Just Max,[18] a contemporary YA novel about a trans boy going to college and navigating all the new experiences that includes. Release is set for Winter 2024.[19]

Awards and honors

Cemetery Boys is a Junior Library Guild book.[20] It was a New York Times and Indiebound bestseller,[5] and Publishers Weekly, NPR, and Barnes & Noble named it one of the best books of 2020.[21][22][23] School Library Journal included the audiobook on their list of the top ten audiobooks of 2020,[24] the American Library Association (ALA) included it on their 2020 list of the top ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults.[25] The following year, the ALA included it in the top ten on their Best Fiction for Young Adults list,[26][27] ALA Rainbow Book List,[28] and Teens' Top Ten list.[29]

In 2023, the ALA included The Sunbearer Trials on their list of the Best Fiction for Young Adults and their Rainbow List.[30][31]

Awards for Thomas's writing
Year Title Award Result Ref.
2020 Cemetery Boys Bram Stoker Award for Best Young Adult Novel Shortlisted [32]
Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction Nominee [33]
Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Novel Nominee [33]
National Book Award for Young People's Literature Longlisted [34][35]
2021 Locus Award for Best First Novel Nominee [36]
Lodestar Award Finalist [37]
Lost in the Never Woods Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction Nominee [38]

References

  1. ^ "Aiden Thomas". Macmillan Publishers. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  2. ^ "Media Kit". Aiden Thomas. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Aiden Thomas (@aidenschmaiden) on X". Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "The Sunbearer Trials Is a Window Into a Rich World of Queer Demigods". Them. September 6, 2022. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Cemetery Boys". Kirkus Reviews. July 15, 2020. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  6. ^ March Soloway, Jennifer (June 25, 2020). "Children's Book Review: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  7. ^ Bittner, Rob (May 1, 2020). Cemetery Boys. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021 – via Booklist.
  8. ^ "Lost in the Never Woods". Kirkus Reviews. May 10, 2021. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  9. ^ Smith, Candace (June 1, 2021). Lost in the Never Woods. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021 – via Booklist.
  10. ^ Leary, Alaina (February 1, 2021). Lost in the Never Woods. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021 – via Booklist.
  11. ^ Thomas, Aiden (November 22, 2021). "Welcome to... ✨THE SUNBEARER TRIALS✨ this stunning over was designed by @LizDresner and @mmarsloud is back at it again with this GORGEOUS cover art featuring our main character, Teo!". Twitter. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  12. ^ "The Sunbearer Trials". Macmillan. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  13. ^ "The Sunbearer Trials (The Sunbearer #1) by Aiden Thomas". Publishers Weekly. July 21, 2022. Archived from the original on September 24, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  14. ^ Cohen, Stephanie (August 2022). "The Sunbearer Trials". Booklist. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  15. ^ Thomas, Aiden (November 17, 2023). "who's ready for an End of the World Road Trip?". Instagram. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Celestial Monsters". Kirkus Reviews. August 30, 2024. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  17. ^ Leary, Fin (July 2024). "Celestial Monsters". Booklist. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  18. ^ Thomas, Aiden (October 19, 2021). "my way of surviving quarantine was to write a story about a trans boy starting college, experiencing the foibles of being stealth in a co-ed dorm, and falling in love with the cute boy who offered to tutor him in math and now i get to share it!". Twitter. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  19. ^ "Rights Report: Week of October 18, 2021". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  20. ^ "Cemetery Boys". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  21. ^ "Best Books 2020: Publishers Weekly - Young Adult". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  22. ^ "NPR's Book Concierge". NPR. Archived from the original on July 8, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  23. ^ "Cemetery Boys|Hardcover". Barnes & Noble. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  24. ^ Klose, Stephanie. "Top 10 Audiobooks of 2020". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  25. ^ "2021 Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 5, 2021. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  26. ^ Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2021. March 15, 2021. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2021 – via Booklist.
  27. ^ "2021 Top Ten Best Fiction". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 14, 2021. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  28. ^ Rainbow List: 2021. March 15, 2021. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2021 – via Booklist.
  29. ^ "2021 Teens' Top Ten" (PDF). American Library Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  30. ^ "Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2023". Booklist. March 15, 2023. Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  31. ^ "Rainbow List: 2023". Booklist. March 15, 2023. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  32. ^ "The Bram Stoker Awards 2020". The Bram Stoker Awards. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  33. ^ a b "Cemetery Boys". Goodreads. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  34. ^ "National Book Awards 2020". National Book Foundation. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  35. ^ Kantor, Emma (September 16, 2020). "2020 NBA Longlist for Young People's Literature Announced". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  36. ^ "2021 Locus Awards Winners". Locus Online. June 26, 2021. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  37. ^ "2021 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Awards. January 1, 2021. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  38. ^ "Lost in the Never Woods". Goodreads. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.