Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)
AuthorDaniel Nayeri
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreYoung adult fiction, middle grade fiction, autobiographical novel
PublisherLevine Querido/Scholastic Corporation
Publication date
August 25, 2020
Media typePrint (hardcover and paperback), e-book, audiobook
Pages268
ISBN9781646140008 Hardcover

Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story) is a young adult/middle grade autobiographical novel[1] by Daniel Nayeri, published August 25, 2020 by Levine Querido. In 2021, the book won the Michael L. Printz Award,[2] Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature,[3] and Middle East Book Award for Youth Literature.[4]

Background

Nayeri has stated that Everything Sad Is Untrue is "entirely biographical" and that "the first version ... was a nonfiction essay for adults."[1] Because "[t]he heart of the story was from the perspective of a pre-teen," he selected his pre-teen self as the narrator, "changed some names, and ... invented dialogue."[1] Aside from these changes, however, Nayeri thinks of the book as a memoir.[1]

Although he began writing the book in his twenties, Nayeri says he had been contemplating it since he was ten years old because, as an immigrant from Iran to Oklahoma, he often found himself explaining himself.[5]

In terms of Everything Sad Is Untrue's guiding principle, Nayeri noted, "The book is immediately asking the reader not to lie to themselves. Not to dare believe they are any better. Not to omit themselves from the guilt. And from there it sets out to convince the reader that strictly speaking, all our memories are lies we tell ourselves."[1]

Reception

Everything Sad is Untrue was generally well-received, including starred reviews from Booklist,[6] The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,[7] Kirkus Reviews,[8] Publishers Weekly,[9] and School Library Journal.[10]

In various reviews, the book was called "[m]esmerizing and hard-hitting,"[9] "a modern epic,"[8] "impressive,"[9]

Booklist's Ronny Khuri noted, "Nayeri challenges outright what young readers can handle, in form and content, but who can deny him when it's his own experience on display? He demands much of readers, but in return he gives them everything," and ultimately called the book "[a] remarkable work that raises the literary bar in children's lit."[6]

BookPage,[11] The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,[12] The New York Times,[13] NPR,[14] Publishers Weekly,[15] Today,[16] and The Wall Street Journal[17] named Everything Sad is Untrue one of the best books of the year.

Awards and honors for Everything Sad Is Untrue
Year Award/Honor Result Ref.
2020 Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth Selection [18]
2021 Booklist's Best Books for Tweens Top 10 [19]
Christopher Award for Young People Selection [20]
Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature Winner [3]
Michael L. Printz Award Winner [2][21]
Middle East Book Award for Youth Literature Winner [4]
Walter Dean Myers Award Honor [22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Gaetano, Siân (2020-06-03). "Daniel Nayeri and the Entirely Biographical Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story)". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  2. 1 2 "2021 Printz Award". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  3. 1 2 "2021 Judy Lopez Award Winners". WNBA-LA. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  4. 1 2 "Youth Literature Honorees | Middle East Book Award". Middle East Outreach Council. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  5. ↑ Goddu, Krystyna Poray (2020-08-06). "Q & A with Daniel Nayeri". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  6. 1 2 Khuri, Ronny (July 2020). "Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)". Booklist. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  7. ↑ "July 2020". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  8. 1 2 "Everything Sad Is Untrue". Kirkus Reviews. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  9. 1 2 3 "Children's Book Review: Everything Sad Is Untrue (A True Story) by Daniel Nayeri. Levine Querido, $17.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-64614-000-8". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  10. ↑ Writt, Hilary (2020-07-01). "Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  11. ↑ "Best Books of 2020: Young Adult". BookPage. 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  12. ↑ "2020 Blue Ribbons". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  13. ↑ "The 25 Best Children's Books of 2020". The New York Times. 2020-12-02. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  14. ↑ NPR. "Best Books 2021: Books We Love". NPR. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  15. ↑ "Best Books 2020: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  16. ↑ "25 of our favorite books for kids, tweens and teens in 2020". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  17. ↑ Gurdon, Meghan Cox (2020-12-10). "The Best Books of 2020: Children's Books". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  18. ↑ "Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020". Booklist. 2021-01-01. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  19. ↑ Smith, Julia (2021-04-15). "Top 10 Novels for Tweens: 2021". Booklist. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  20. ↑ "Awards: Hugo Finalists; Christopher Winners, NYPL Young Lions Fiction Shortlist". Shelf Awareness. 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  21. ↑ Gaetano, Siân (2021-01-28). "Daniel Nayeri: 2021 Michael L. Printz Award Winner". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  22. ↑ Gaetano, Siân (2021-03-15). "Walter Dean Myers Awards". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
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