Yamile Saied Mendez Explained

Yamile Saied Méndez
Birth Place:	Rosario, Argentina
Occupation:	Author
Alma Mater:	Brigham Young University Vermont College of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)
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Yamile (pronounced sha-MEE-lay)^[1] Saied Méndez is an Argentine American author of picture books, children's books, young adult books, and adult romance.^{[2] [3]} She is a Pura Belpré gold medal winner for her young adult novel, Furia.^[4] She is a founding member of Las Musas collective.^[1]

Background

Méndez was born in Rosario, Argentina.^[5] Méndez grew up attached to the culture of one grandfather, who was Syrian Lebanese; her mother was an orphan but knew she was a descendant of indigenous people from Argentina. Her father drove a taxi and her mother worked as a nanny. The first among her extended family members to attend college, she went to Brigham Young University where she studied international economics.^[6] Méndez received an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts.^[7] Méndez lives in Utah with her husband and five children.^[8]

Awards and recognition

• Walter Dean Myers grant to write Furia (2015)
• New York Public Library Best Books of 2019 for "¿De Dónde Eres?" ^[9]
• Kirkus Best Books of 2019^[10]
• 2020 Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils) for Furia^[11]
• Reese's YA Book Club selection for Furia (2020) ^[12]
• Winner of a Pura Belpré YA Author Medal for Furia (2021)^[13]

Articles

• The Pen Ten: An Interview with Yamile Saied Méndez^[14]
• Yamile Saied Méndez talks FURIA and the Argentina soccer scene^[15]
• This Utah author has a new novel — and Reese Witherspoon just chose it for her book club

Bibliography

• Blizzard Besties (2018)
• “Where Are You From?” /"¿De Dónde Eres?" (2019)^[16]
• Random Acts of Kittens (2019)
• On These Magic Shores (2020)^[17]
• Furia (2020)^[18]
• Shaking Up the House (2021)
• What Will You Be? (2021)
• Wish Upon a Stray (2021)
• Can't Be Tamed (2022)^[19]
• Friends Like These (2022)
• Where There's Smoke (2022)
• Our Shadows Have Claws (2022)^[20]
• Twice a Quinceañera (2022)

External links

• Official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Yamile Saied Méndez. 2021-10-15. HarperCollins. en.
2. News: 2021-02-28. Tucson Festival of Books. Arizona Daily Star.
3. Web site: Yamile Saied Méndez » About. 2021-10-15. en.
4. Web site: Yamile Saied Méndez. 2021-10-15. kids.scholastic.com.
5. News: Simeon. Laura. 2020-09-15. Yamile Saied Méndez Scores With Furia. Kirkus Review. 2021-10-15.
6. Web site: Jones. Valerie. 2020-09-28. This Utah author has a new novel — and Reese Witherspoon just chose it for her book club. 2021-10-15. Deseret News. en.
7. Web site: The PEN Ten: An Interview with Yamile Saied Méndez. 8 October 2020.
8. Web site: Shelf Awareness for Wednesday, February 3, 2021.
9. Web site: 2019-11-26. The New York Public Library Selects Best Books of 2019 for Kids, Teens, and Adults. 2021-10-15. New York Public Library.
10. Arnold. Jackie Marshall and Mary-Kate Sableski. 2020. Where are You from? Building Bridges Over Walls with #OwnVoices Literature.. Journal of Children's Literature. 46. 2. 19–26. ProQuest.
11. 2021-05-01. Impromptu. The Horn Book Magazine. 97. 3. 61–65. ProQuest.
12. News: 2020-10-05. October Filled with Austin Book Events for Kids, Teens. Austin American-Statesman.
13. Web site: Furia. 2021-10-15. Workman Publishing. en-US.
14. Web site: Jackson. Jared. 2020-10-08. The PEN Ten: An Interview with Yamile Saied Méndez. 2021-10-15. PEN America. en.
15. Web site: 2020-10-01. Yamile Saied Méndez talks FURIA and the Argentina soccer scene. 2021-10-15. Young Entertainment.
16. Web site: Covington. Linnea. 2021-07-09. The Best Kids Books to Read This Summer. 2021-10-13. Westword.
17. August 2020. K-12. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. 34. ProQuest.
18. Web site: Yamile Saied Méndez. 2021-10-15. Kirkus Reviews. en.
19. Web site: Yamile Saied Méndez . 2022-09-13 . Kirkus Reviews . en.
20. Book: OUR SHADOWS HAVE CLAWS Kirkus Reviews . en.