Susin got her start feeding cast and crew on the popular television series, Degrassi Junior High. They hated her food, but they saw a spark in her writing. Nielsen went on to pen sixteen episodes of the hit TV show. Since then, Nielsen has written for over 20 Canadian TV series. Her first young adult novel, Word Nerd, was published in 2008 to critical acclaim. It won multiple Young Readers Choice Awards, as did her second novel, Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom. Her third novel, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, was published in August 2012. It went on to win the Governor Generals Literary Award, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award, the Canadian Library Associations Childrens Book of the Year Award, and a number of Young Readers Choice Awards. Author Wally Lamb named it his top YA pick for 2012 in his First Annual Wally Awards, and recently Rolling Stone magazine put it at #27 in their list of Top 40 Best YA Novels.
Her books have been translated into multiple languages. Susins new novel, We Are All Made of Molecules, will be published in Canada, the US and the UK in Spring of 2015. She lives in Vancouver with her family and two naughty cats. She is delighted to have finally figure out how to "claim" her author profile on Goodreads!
Her books have been translated into multiple languages. Susins new novel, We Are All Made of Molecules, will be published in Canada, the US and the UK in Spring of 2015. She lives in Vancouver with her family and two naughty cats. She is delighted to have finally figure out how to "claim" her author profile on Goodreads!
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Children's Fiction
New and upcoming books
Novels
Word Nerd (2008)
Dear George Clooney (2010)
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen (2012)
We Are All Made of Molecules (2015)
Optimists Die First (2017)
My Messed-Up Life (2018)
No Fixed Address (2018)
Tremendous Things (2021)
Snap (2025)
Dear George Clooney (2010)
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen (2012)
We Are All Made of Molecules (2015)
Optimists Die First (2017)
My Messed-Up Life (2018)
No Fixed Address (2018)
Tremendous Things (2021)
Snap (2025)
Picture Books show
Susin Nielsen recommends
Finding Phoebe (2023)
Gavin Extence
"A lovely story with a compelling and unique protagonist. Extence tackles a subject that has almost become taboo these days and deserves to see the light in YA fiction."
What the World Doesn't See (2023)
Mel Darbon
"An important and beautiful story about the tight bond between two siblings, and looking beyond a person's disabilities."
What the Dog Knows (2022)
Sylvia McNicoll
"A lovely story about the messiness of families and learning to trust and believe in yourself. Most of all, it's a story about friendship - both the two- and four-legged kind."
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