YA CONTEMPORARY! This is Melanie’s first contemporary novel, and she brings her signature style of exploring underrepresented subject matter to modern times.



AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR! Melanie is a School & Library darling as the author of National Jewish Book Award finalist Audacity, Walden Award finalist An Uninterrupted View of the Sky, and the winner of the Arnold Adoff New Voices Poetry Award, among other honors. Her books have received multiple starred reviews, landed on best of, notable, and state award lists, and received critical acclaim across the board.



REAL-LIFE INSPIRATION! When Melanie was twenty, she took a summer job working for the Forest Service, including a week of Fire Camp, and the experience of wildland firefighting—“the fierce heat all down one side of my body, the flames licking well above my head, the way the smoke obscured the landmarks all around, leaving you utterly disoriented, and the unnerving knowledge that your life is in the hands of the other people digging that fire line with you”—has stayed with her to this day.



BREAKING NEW GROUND! True to her brand, Melanie exposes a topic never before captured in the YA space, bringing to market a new twist on the survival story. 

MELANIE CROWDER (she/her) holds an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is the author of the critically acclaimed Audacity, Mazie, and An Uninterrupted View of the Sky. She lives with her family on the Colorado Front Range. Visit Melanie online at www.melaniecrowder.net. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @MelanieACrowder. 

Author Residence: Colorado

Praise for Novels by Melanie Crowder:

Jumper

★ “Blair is a fierce and dynamic narrator, and Crowder’s (Mazie) immersive prose, crisp dialogue, and haunting descriptions of devastating fires enlivens this pulse-pounding thriller.” –Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

★ “Never less than riveting.” –Kirkus, starred review

Mazie

★ “Deserves a standing ovation.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “This is a terrific and realistic piece of historical fiction that is perfect for theater lovers and historical fiction fans.” –SLC, starred review

★ “The peppy first-person narrative keeps the story zipping along, and adroitly placed period details make the setting come alive in this bighearted, exuberant novel.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review

An Uninterrupted View of the Sky

★ “Crowder delivers a disturbing portrait of innocent families trapped in corrupt systems, as well as a testament to the strength of enduring cultural traditions and the possibility of finding family in the unlikeliest places.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “Readers will feel utterly invested in Francisco’s various challenges….A riveting, Dickensian tale set in 1990s Bolivia.” –Kirkus, starred review

★ “Themes of poverty, social injustice based on ethnicity, violence toward women, coming-of-age, romantic love, and a sliver of precarious hope are woven into the plot. This poetic, historical novel is an important addition to libraries given its focus on the consequences of U.S. involvement in Bolivian politics.” –School Library Journal, starred review

Audacity

★ “Crowder breathes life into a world long past….Compelling, powerful and unforgettable.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “This book stands alone….an impactful addition to any historical fiction collection.” –School Library Journal, starred review

★ “With a thorough historical note, glossary of terms, and bibliography, this will make an excellent complement to units on women’s rights and the labor movement, but it will also satisfy readers in search of a well-told tale of a fierce heroine.” –BCCB, starred review

★ “This is an excellent title that can open discussions in U.S. history and economics courses about women’s rights, labor unions, and the immigrant experience.” –School Library Connection, starred review