Author Nic Stone

Have you heard of Nic Stone? Ask a teenager or educator and they probably have. The New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of Dear Martin, which tackled issues surrounding social justice and race relations, has become a staple in many classrooms across the country. Her sophomore novel, Odd One Out, explored sexuality, self-discovery, loving who you want to love, and that it is ok to be the person you want to be (and not who others say you should be).  Her forthcoming novel, Jackpot, which will be published this October, explores first love, family, money, and poverty, and the idea that our bank account does not define us.

Nic’s mission is to create books and stories that speak to kids underrepresented in YA literature today—she aims to not only create windows in which young people are introduced to new perspectives but also mirrors in which children see their experiences and identities full represented. Growing up, she never saw someone like her represented in the books she read. And she was an avid reader. “To encourage literacy, we give kids’ books. And they read them,” she said. “But can you imagine somebody saying, “Now here are the MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO READ,” and then you read them . . . and you’re not in them?”

Not afraid to speak her mind or tackle tough topics and issues, Nic has become one of the great voices (and advocates) of children’s literature today, and she continues to be a rising star in the book world. She credits her two little boys as the reason she wrote Dear Martin, a story about a black teenager racially profiled by the local police. As a mom of boys who will eventually become young black men, Nic saw the deaths of unarmed African American children—Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Jordan Edwards—and was compelled to write a novel that raises difficult questions and encourages readers of all ages to examine the biases in their own lives and to have honest discussions about race in today’s world. The novel has found an audience not only amongst teens, but with adult readers as well.