📖 Overview
Candace Fleming is an American author known for writing both fiction and non-fiction books for children and young adults. Her work includes award-winning biographies and historical narratives, with over twenty published titles to her credit.
Fleming's most acclaimed works include "The Family Romanov," which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and "The Lincolns," recipient of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Her expertise in crafting engaging historical narratives has earned her numerous accolades, including the Sibert Medal and YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction in 2021.
A graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Fleming previously taught at William Rainey Harper College near Chicago from 1997 to 2005. She has since devoted herself to writing full-time, while also working as an educator and speaker, with thirty-two of her books selected by the Junior Library Guild.
The Children's Book Guild recognized Fleming's contributions to children's literature with their Nonfiction Award in 2014, and she was named a Children's Book Month Champion by the Children's Book Council in 2013. Her consistent ability to transform historical subjects into compelling narratives for young readers has established her as a significant voice in children's literature.
👀 Reviews
Readers appreciate Fleming's thorough research and ability to make history engaging for young readers. Multiple reviews note her talent for finding compelling historical details and presenting them in a narrative style that keeps children's attention.
Parents and teachers highlight her age-appropriate handling of complex topics. A Goodreads reviewer said: "She doesn't talk down to kids but makes difficult subjects understandable."
Criticism focuses on pacing in some works, with readers noting sections that drag or include too many tangential details. Some reviewers mention that younger readers struggle with the density of information in books like "The Family Romanov."
Ratings across platforms:
Goodreads: Most books 4.0-4.5/5 stars
Amazon: Average 4.5/5 stars
School Library Journal: Consistently positive reviews
The Family Romanov (2014): 4.3/5 (15,000+ Goodreads ratings)
Giant Squid (2016): 4.2/5 (2,000+ Goodreads ratings)
Honeybee (2020): 4.5/5 (1,500+ Goodreads ratings)
📚 Books by Candace Fleming
The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School - A contemporary school story following an unconventional teacher and his class of misfit students who learn life lessons through modern versions of Aesop's fables.
The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia - A detailed historical account of the last imperial family of Russia, their reign, and their tragic end during the Russian Revolution.
The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary - A biographical narrative combining photographs, letters, and artifacts to portray the lives of President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln.
Ben Franklin's in My Bathroom! - A time-travel adventure story where Benjamin Franklin accidentally appears in a modern-day kid's bathroom through a magical mishap.
Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart - A biography exploring both Amelia Earhart's life achievements and the mystery of her final flight.
Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Remarkable Life - A biographical collection presenting Eleanor Roosevelt's life through primary sources and personal accounts.
Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera - A scientific exploration following the life cycle of a single honeybee from birth to death.
Giant Squid - A nonfiction examination of the mysterious deep-sea creature, detailing its characteristics and habitat.
Papa's Mechanical Fish - A historical fiction story based on the real inventor Lodner Phillips and his attempts to create a submarine in the 1850s.
Cubs in the Tub: The True Story of the Bronx Zoo's First Woman Zookeeper - A biographical account of Helen Martini, who became the Bronx Zoo's first female zookeeper while raising lion and tiger cubs in her apartment.
The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia - A detailed historical account of the last imperial family of Russia, their reign, and their tragic end during the Russian Revolution.
The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary - A biographical narrative combining photographs, letters, and artifacts to portray the lives of President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln.
Ben Franklin's in My Bathroom! - A time-travel adventure story where Benjamin Franklin accidentally appears in a modern-day kid's bathroom through a magical mishap.
Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart - A biography exploring both Amelia Earhart's life achievements and the mystery of her final flight.
Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Remarkable Life - A biographical collection presenting Eleanor Roosevelt's life through primary sources and personal accounts.
Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera - A scientific exploration following the life cycle of a single honeybee from birth to death.
Giant Squid - A nonfiction examination of the mysterious deep-sea creature, detailing its characteristics and habitat.
Papa's Mechanical Fish - A historical fiction story based on the real inventor Lodner Phillips and his attempts to create a submarine in the 1850s.
Cubs in the Tub: The True Story of the Bronx Zoo's First Woman Zookeeper - A biographical account of Helen Martini, who became the Bronx Zoo's first female zookeeper while raising lion and tiger cubs in her apartment.
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