An Na | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1972 (age 51–52) South Korea |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Amherst College (BA) Vermont College of Fine Arts |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Notable works | A Step From Heaven (2001) The Fold (2008) |
| Notable awards | Michael L. Printz Award (2002) |
An Na (born 1972) is a South Korea-born [1] American children's book author. She gained success with her first novel A Step From Heaven , published by Front Street Press in 2001, which won the annual Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association recognizing the year's "best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit". [2] It was also a finalist for the National Book Award, Young People's Literature, and later found its way onto numerous "best book" lists.
Na grew up in San Diego, California, [1] and has a Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College. [3] [4] Starting her career as a middle school English and History teacher, Na turned to writing novels after taking a young adult literature class while enrolled in an M.F.A. program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She divides her time between Oakland, California and Warren, Vermont, and makes frequent visits to middle schools to talk about her works and encourages young Asian-American students to become artists and harness their creativity.
Na cites Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes and Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street among the influences on her writing and also admires the work of Madeleine L'Engle and of her first writing teacher, Jacqueline Woodson.
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A Step From Heaven is the first novel by An Na, published in 2001 by Front Street Press. It won two American Library Association awards: the 2002 Michael L. Printz Award from the Young Adult Library Services Association and the 2001-2003 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature from the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association.
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