Kelly Barnhill Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Kelly Barnhill, who is a multi-award-winning American scribbler, is a quadragenarian. Barnhill was born on December 1973 in Minneapolis upon Minnesota, in the United States. Barnhill, who is a self-proclaimed eccentric person and a blabbermouth, served in various positions in the run-up to becoming an author. She has been an educator, tended bars and waited tables, an activist, freelancer, and game warden. She has also done secretarial jobs and been a janitor among others. These diverse occupations stood her in good stead in her writing career.

Kelly Barnhill has won several writing fellowships. For instance she was a Jerome Foundation fellow, Minnesota State Arts Board fellow, and took part in a McKnight Writing Fellowship program. For her O Levels, Barnhill went to South High whereby she completed in 1996. She attended College of St. Catherine thereafter. For her undergraduate studies, Barnhill went to Portland State University.

Early Writing Career
By the time Kelly Barnhill got a job as a teacher, Minnesota was synonymous with termination of employment. This prompted Barnhill to start penning juvenile books, particularly nonfiction. Barnhill opines that she likes writing books whose target market is children aged below fourteen years. Barnhill delves into her rich and extensive working experience in various sectors when penning her literary works.

Section on Books
Kelly Barnhill debuted in early 2011. There are about 18 editions of the first book authored by Kelly Barnhill. The first edition of her debut novel was originally published in January 2011, titled The Mostly True Story of Jack; the standalone novel is shelved under the speculative fiction (particularly fantasy genre), juvenile literature (middle grade fiction), and young adult genres.

Jack is the featured protagonist in Kelly Barnhill’s novel The Mostly True Story of Jack. Meet Protagonist Jack. Jack is a lonesome child and has had no friends for over a decade. People always give scant credence to Jack; he is not only neglected by his kith and kin but also disregarded at school by teachers and classmates too. Worse still, Jack hails from a broken home in San Francisco; his mother and father have since divorced. This prompts Jack to have a mentality of invisibility. Jack, who is susceptible to bullying, is eager to forge friendships with his kindred spirits.

The first book authored by Kelly Barnhill, The Mostly True Story of Jack, recounts Jack’s sojourn. Hard on the heels of Jack’s parents’ separation, the poor boy is farmed out to relatives who are domiciled in Hazelwood upon Iowa. Jack’s hosts are a loving aunt and uncle. After a long stint being invisible, his relocation from his hometown to Hazelwood is a stark contrast. Why, he is so visible such that he gets genuine friends and, on the flip side, attracts the wrath of local bully and a wealthy resident too.

Matters are even complicated by unaccounted for local children that vanish without a trace. As Kelly Barnhill reconciles these aspects, she ends up crafting a magical and gratifying book that ushered her into a bountiful writing career wherein she has won several literary awards.

Kelly Barnhill Awards
Author Kelly Barnhill has either won or been nominated for these literary awards. In 2017, her Kelly Barnhill’s 2016 novel titled The Girl Who Drank the Moon clinched the Newbery Medal. In 2016, the aforementioned novel was nominated for the Andre Norton Award, in the Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy category. Moreover, this book was in the master listing for the 2017-2018 Texas Bluebonnet Award for Children’s Literature category.

In 2014, Kelly Barnhill published a novel titled The Witch’s Boy. In 2015, this book was nominated for the Minnesota Book Award, in the Young People’s Literature category. In 2012, Barnhill was nominated for the Andre Norton Award courtesy of her 2012 book titled Iron Hearted Violet. This latter book also clinched the Parents’ Choice Gold Award.

In 2016, Kelly Barnhill clinched the World Fantasy Award, in the Best Novella category; she was awarded courtesy of her 2015 book titled The Unlicensed Magician. Lastly, Barnhill was, in 2017, among the honorees during the NCTE Charlotte Huck Award, courtesy of her outstanding literary work.

Kelly Barnhill Books into Movies
Fox Animation Studios, a Phoenix-based production organization, has since purchased the film rights of the book titled The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Marc Haimes is adapting it for the big screen.

Best Kelly Barnhill Books
The following are the best three books Kelly Barnhill’s bibliography. The first one is the award-winning The Girl Who Drank the Moon. This story revolves a witch called Xan and fearful residents. The residents have been providing a child to Xan yearly, hoping to cushion themselves against Xan’s alleged ire. Xan spares the children, which he feeds on starlight, giving them up for adoption instead. Xan mistakenly feeds a particular child, Luna, with moonlight, thereby giving the child an exceptional type of magic. This compels Xan to adopt the child who he entrusts with his magic. When the fed-up residents ultimately wage war against Xan, Luna comes to Xan’s aid.

The third one is named The Unlicensed Magician. This revolves around Sparrow, one of the twenty magical infants born during a particular year. Sparrow died in infancy. Nevertheless, a junkman who witnessed her resurrection, rescued the girl-child, and protected it from a murderous minister; it has been a hushed secret all along. Unfortunately, the more Sparrow develops the more she acquires magic skills. This attracts the attention of the minister’s henchmen. The third notable book is The Witch’s Boy. It is about bandits on the quest for stealing magic from its rightful owner. Unable to steal it, the bandits abduct its owner who takes the magic, which can communicate, along with him.

Other Books You May Like
Readers who liked Kelly Barnhill’s bibliography also liked these series of books. The first one is entitled the Castle of Shadows series, authored by Ellen Renner. This features a young princess called Charlotte and nicknamed Charlie. Charlotte’s mother, a queen, mysteriously vanished and her father, the king, became insane. Worse still, there is a looming uprising in their kingdom.

The second one is called The Riverman Trilogy series, penned by Aaron Starmer. This trilogy features protagonist Fiona Loomis, an adventurous character going to magical worlds. The third one is titled Darkbeast series, authored by Morgan Keyes. Protagonist Keara owns a common raven, a passerine bird, that cushions her against bad feelings and thoughts. On the flip side, the raven and betrayal might spell doom to her world and dreams.