Susin Nielsen (born 1964) is a Canadian author for children, adolescents and young adults. She received the 2012 Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature and the 2013 Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award for her young adult novel The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, which deals with the aftermath of a school shooting.
In 2019, she received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People.
Personal life Nielsen was born in 1964, and was raised in London and Chatham-Kent, Ontario.
She is married to Goran Fernlund and has one child: Oscar.
Career Nielsen began her writing career with the Degrassi franchise, writing scripts for the television shows as well as books for the series. Nielsen also played Louella Hawkins the Janitor in Degrassi Junior High. Following her work with Degrassi, Nielsen wrote for many other Canadian television series such as Heartland, What About Mimi?, and Braceface. While working on these shows she produced three children's picture books: Hank and Fergus, Mormor Moves In, and The Magic Beads.
Her first independent novel, Word Nerd, deals with bullying, a theme she returns to in The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen. Her books often describe the effect of broken families on children.
Nielsen's 2015 book, We Are All Made of Molecules, about two step siblings trying to form a bond with each other, was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award.
Nielsen's books have been translated into Dutch, French, Portuguese, Italian, German and Polish (In the Polish language, not all of them have been translated).
Nielsen's 2021 book, Tremendous Things, was nominated for the 2022 Ontario Library Association's Red Maple Award for Fiction.
Awards and honors In 2019, Nielsen was honored with the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People, which honors writers and illustrators whose body of work has been "inspirational to Canadian youth."
Two of Nielsen's books are Junior Library Guild selections: No Fixed Address (2018) and Tremendous Things (2021).
In 2015, The Globe and Mail, Kirkus Reviews, Quill & Quire, and The Telegraph included We Are All Made of Molecules on their list of the best young adult novels of the year. +Awards for Nielsen's writingYearTitleAwardResultRef.2008Word NerdINDIES Award for Juvenile FictionSilver2010Forest of Reading Red Maple AwardWinnerManitoba Young Readers’ Choice AwardWinnerDear George Clooney, Please Marry My MomINDIES Award for Juvenile FictionWinner2011Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeFinalistSnow Willow AwardWinner2012Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice AwardWinnerRocky Mountain Book AwardWinnerGovernor General's Award for English-language children's literatureWinner2013Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children AwardWinnerRuth and Sylvia Schwartz AwardWinnerSheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeFinalist2014Forest of Reading Red Maple AwardWinner2015We Are All Made of MoleculesGovernor General's Award for English-language children's literatureFinalist2016Carnegie MedalLonglistRuth and Sylvia Schwartz AwardWinnerSheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeFinalist2018Optimists Die FirstCarnegie MedalNomineeFederation of Children's Book Groups' Children's Book AwardFinalist2019No Fixed AddressIODE Violet Downey Book AwardWinnerSheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeWinner2020Carnegie MedalLonglistForest of Reading Red Maple AwardWinnerPrincess Puffybottom . . . and DarrylSheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook of the Year AwardShortlist2022Tremendous ThingsCarnegie MedalNomineeRuth and Sylvia Schwartz AwardShortlist
Bibliography
Picture books
The Magic Beads, illustrated by Geneviève Côté (2007) Princess Puffybottom . . . and Darryl , illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller (2019) All Cats Welcome, illustrated by Vivian Mineker (2022)
Middle grade and young adult books Mormor Moves In (2004) Hank and Fergus (2005) Word Nerd (2008) Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom (2010) – also published as My Messed-Up Life The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen (2012) We Are All Made of Molecules (2015) Optimists Die First (2017) No Fixed Address (2018) Tremendous Things (2021) Snap (2025)
References
External links The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen on The Canadian Encyclopedia "Susan Nielsen: The Queen of Tragicomedy" by Cheri Hansen, Quill & Quire, March 2015 Official website