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Dyan Sheldon

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Dyan Sheldon
BornBrooklyn, New York, United States
Pen nameD.M. Quintano
Occupation
  • Author
LanguageEnglish
NationalityAmerican
Period1982-present
Genre
Notable worksConfessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Website
dyansheldon.co.uk

Dyan Sheldon is an American novelist, who has written for adults, children and young adults. Originally from Brooklyn, she resides in London and has written a number of young adult novels as well as many picture books in a variety of genres.[1]

Dyan Sheldon's novel Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen,[2] a #1 New York Times bestseller, was made into a movie of the same name by Disney in 2004, starring Lindsay Lohan.[3]

Early life and career

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Dyan Sheldon was born in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Long Island with her parents when she was six years old.[4] Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Sheldon worked as a blurb writer and then as a commissioning editor in publishing in London.[1] Sheldon is a former fellow of Goldsmiths, University of London from 2018-2021.[5]

Sheldon's first book was published in 1982, an adults fiction novel called Victim of Love.[6] Her first picture book was A Witch Got on at Paddington Station published in 1987 and her first children's novel was Harry and Chicken published in 1990.[6]

The Whales Song

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The Whales Song is a picture book written by Dyan Sheldon and illustrated by Gary Blythe aimed at children. The story is about a young girl named Lily who, inspired by a story by her grandmother about the mysterious whales in the bay, longs to hear their magical song. The book was first published in 1991 by Hutchinson. A 1991 review by Kirkus Reviews says "in a spare, poetic narrative, Sheldon captures a child's wonder at these magnificent creatures, echoed, in a splendid debut, in Blythe's generously broad oil paintings." [7] Publisher's Weekly reviewed the book in 1991 describes the book as "haunting" and "evocative". [8] The Whales Song won the Kate Greenway Medal for illustration in 1991. [9]

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

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Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen is teenage fiction book written by Dyan Sheldon about Lola who moves from New York to Dellwood Falls and tries to settle into her new high-school including her rivalry with the school's resident drama queen, Carla. The book was first published in 1999 by Candlewick Press. It was adapted into a theatrical film by Disney in 2004, starring Lindsay Lohan. A sequel, My (Not So) Perfect Life was published in 2002.

Personal life

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Dyan Sheldon currently lives in London.

Works

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Adult novels

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  • Victim of Love (novel)|Victim of Love (1982)
  • Dreams of an Average Man (1985)
  • My Life as a Whale (1992)
  • On the Road Reluctantly/Dream Catching (1996)

Young adult novels

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Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

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Year Title Notes
1999 Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
2002 My (Not so) Perfect Life
2005 Confessions of a Hollywood Star

Haunted series

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Year Title Notes
1993 You Can Never Go Home Anymore
1993 Save the Last Dance for Me

Planet Jane series

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Year Title Notes
2003 Planet Jane
2004 Planet Jane in Orbit
  • And Baby Makes Two (2000)
  • Sophie Pitt-Turnbull Discovers America (2005)
  • Perfect (Quintano novel)|Perfect (as D. M. Quintano) (2005)
  • I Conquer Britain (2006)
  • My Worst Best Friend (2010)
  • Away for the weekend (2011)
  • Tall, Thin and Blonde (2012)
  • More than one way to be a girl (2017)

Children's novels

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Harry series

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Year Title Notes
1990 Harry and the Chicken
1991 Harry the Explorer
1992 Harry's Holiday

Lizzie and Charley series

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Year Title Notes
1999 Lizzie and Charley Go Shopping
2001 Lizzie and Charley Go to the Movies
2002 Lizzie and Charley Go Away for the Weekend

Undercover Angel series

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Year Title Notes
2000 Undercover Angel
2000 Undercover Angel Strikes Again
  • My Brother Is a Visitor from Another Planet (1992)
  • Only Binky (1993)
  • Bad Place for a Bus Stop (1994)
  • The Difficulties of Keeping Time (2008)

Picture books

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  • The Whales' Song (1991)
  • Under the Moon (1994) (alternative title, The Garden)
  • Unicorn Dreams (1997) (alternative title, Unicorn City)
  • The Last Angel (2003)
  • Vampire Across the Way (2004)

References

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  1. ^ a b "Dyan Sheldon". The Royal Literary Fund. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  2. ^ "Walker Books - Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen". www.walker.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  3. ^ Harvey, Dennis (2004-02-20). "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen". Variety. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  4. ^ "Walker Books - Dyan Sheldon". www.walker.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  5. ^ Goldsmiths, University of London (2020). "Library Services Annual Report 2019-2020" (PDF). Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Dyan Sheldon". dyansheldon.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  7. ^ "The Whales' Song". Kirkus Reviews.
  8. ^ "The Whales' Song by Dyan Sheldon". www.publishersweekly.com. April 29, 1991. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  9. ^ "The Carnegies". Retrieved 2024-11-22.
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