Elana K. Arnold is the author of critically acclaimed and award-winning books for and about children and teens, including the National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of, Printz Honor winner Damsel, and Global Read Aloud selection A Boy Called Bat and its sequels. Arnold's YA novel, The Blood Years, won the 2024 Sydney Taylor Book Award and the National Jewish Book Award.
Many of her books are Junior Library Guild selections and have frequently appeared on “Best of" book lists, including Rise: A Feminist Book Project, Kirkus Best Books of the Year, and others. Her work has been called “devastatingly vital” and “comfortably familiar and quietly groundbreaking". Elana lives in Southern California with her family and menagerie of pets.
| How did you come to teach at Hamline MFAC? I’d long wanted to teach in a low-residency program; every time I sold another book, I wrote to Hamline and others to update my CV and remind them of my interest. Finally, a call came through from Mary, inviting me to apply. I was—and am—such a fan of the tremendous faculty and I knew that not only did I have a lot to give the program, the program would also give me a huge amount. And I was right! At each residency my love of and commitment to the art and craft of writing has deepened. |
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| What’s your favorite part of residency? I think my favorite part of residency is the first faculty meeting, believe it or not! Though I’m not generally a huge fan of meetings, I am a huge fan of the faculty, and it’s such an exciting thing to see them again after six long months apart. I imagine the cohorts feel similarly about their reunions! |
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| How would you describe your faculty advising style? I’m pretty hands-on and collaborative. I always do line edits (I can’t help myself!) as well as a letter, and I love to zoom. I joined this program for two reasons: to learn and grow as a working artist, and to be of service. With my students, I aim to be of service during our shared time and beyond. |
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| What’s your favorite book to recommend to MFAC students? I am a big fan of WHAT IT IS by Lynda Barry. It’s a weird and wonderful book about creativity. |
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| We asked you to send a photo that represents a favorite Hamline memory. What's happening in your photo? I’m terrible at photos, and so I don’t have any to share, unfortunately. But I absolutely love to workshop…the way we all show up on the first day, nervous and excited like bunnies, and how we soften, learn, and grow together across our time together. |
Young adult
The Blood Years
Balzer & Bray, 2023
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“The Blood Years gives us tragically underrepresented history viewed through a lens of love. Devastating and beautiful.” — Ruta Sepetys, New York Times-bestselling author of I Must Betray You
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“Ferocious and delicate, brilliant and emotional, The Blood Years is a finely wrought portrait of love and betrayal and what it costs to survive the unimaginable.” — Nina LaCour, Michael L. Printz Award-winning author of We Are Okay
- Red Hood
Balzer & Bray, 2020 - Damsel
Balzer & Bray, 2018 - What Girls Are Made Of
Lerner Books/Carolrhoda Lab, 2017 - Infandous
Lerner Books/Carolrhoda Lab, 2015 - Splendor
Random House/Delacorte, 2013 - Burning
Random House/Delacorte, 2013 - Sacred
Random House/Delacorte, 2012
Middle grade
A Boy Called Bat
- With empathy and humor, Arnold delves into Bat’s relationships with his divorced parents, older sister, teachers, and classmates.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
- "Brimming with quietly tender moments, subtle humor, and authentically rendered family dynamics" — ALA Booklist
- “Comfortably familiar and quietly groundbreaking, this introduction to Bat should charm readers, who will likely look forward to more opportunities to explore life from Bat’s particular point of view.” —Kirkus Reviews
- Harriet Tells the Truth
Walden Pond Press, 2024 - Harriet Spies
Walden Pond Press, 2023 - Just Harriet
Walden Pond Press, 2022 - The House That Wasn’t There
Walden Pond Press, 2020 - Bat and the End of Everything
Walden Pond Press, 2019 - Bat and the Waiting Game
Walden Pond Press, 2018 - A Boy Called Bat
Walden Pond Press, 2017 - Far From Fair
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016 - The Question of Miracles
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015
Early reader
Starla Jean
Roaring Brook Press, 2021
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"Mercy Watson fans will flock to this whimsical new series for developing readers."―Kirkus, starred review
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"Generous white space keeps the momentum rising as running text―a single thought, or sometimes even one word, including the chicken’s initial squawk―stretches across spreads. A smattering of 'Fun Facts About Chickens' creates a humorously informative closing." ― Publishers Weekly
- Starla Jean Cracks the Case
Roaring Brook Press, 2021 - Starla Jean Takes the Cake
Roaring Brook Press, 2022
Picture book
The Fish of Small Wishes
Roaring Brook Press, 2024
Fall in love with a modern fairy tale inspired by a Jewish family memory in this magical picture book by award-winning picture book creators Elana K. Arnold and Magdalena Mora.
- All By Himself?
Beach Lane Books, 2022 - Pip and Zip
Roaring Brook Press, 2022 - An Ordinary Day
Beach Lane Books, 2020 - What Riley Wore
Beach Lane Books, 2019
