Nicole Melleby
Nicole Melleby, a New Jersey native, is the author of highly praised novels for young readers, including the Lambda Literary finalist Hurricane Season, ALA Notable book How to Become a Planet, Camp QUILTBAG (co-written with A. J. Sass), and The House on Sunrise Lagoon series. She's also the picture book author of Sunny and Oswaldo, as well as the co-editor of two anthologies that focus on hopeful stories for queer youth. Her works have been Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections, listed as best books of the year by Bank Street Books, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly, and have been ALA Rainbow Book selections. She lives with her wife and their family and invites you to visit her online at nicolemelleby.com.
Middle grade
Winnie Nash is Not Your Sunshine
Algonquin Young Readers, 2024
- Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
- School Library Journal Best Book of 2024
- ALA Rainbow List Selection
- "A powerful, emotional look at queerness, pride, and what it truly means to feel held." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
- "It’s not a perfect summer at the beach, but Winnie’s feelings are perfectly real, and the resolution is satisfying and hopeful. Highly recommended." —School Library Journal (starred review)
Other middle grade
Picture books
Sunny and Oswaldo
(Illustrated by Alexandra Colombo) Algonquin Young Readers, 2023
- Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
- "Purrfectly charming!” —Kirkus Reviews
Other picture books
Poppy’s Question
(Illustrated by Forrest Burdett) Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2026
Anthologies
This is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us
(Co-edited with Katherine Locke) Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2021
- Kirkus Reviews 2021 Best Book of the Year
- NAIBA Best Book of the Year
- Bank Street Children's Best Book of the Year
- “An essential read, this collection breaks free from the dichotomy of representing LGBTQ+ lives as total tragedy or one-true-love, happily-ever-after coming out stories. Vital and liberating.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)