Isabel Quintero is an American writer of young adult literature, poetry and fiction.

Early life

Quintero was born in the

Inland Empire The Inland Empire (IE) is a metropolitan area and region inland of and adjacent to coastal Southern California, centering around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, and bordering Los Angeles County to the west. It includes the cities o ...

of Southern California and grew up in the city of Corona. An elderly couple, Victor and Lucia Mejia, helped raise Isabel and her younger brother, and they became their grandparents. Quintero attended California State University in San Bernardino where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, and later a Master of Arts in English Composition.

Career

Quintero taught English at San Bernardino Valley College and Mt. San Jacinto College. She is a freelance writer for the Arts Council of San Bernardino and an active member of PoetrIE, an organization working to bring literary arts to Inland Empire communities. Quintero is the author of the young adult fiction novel ''Gabi, A Girl in Pieces'' (2014) and two books for younger children, ''Ugly Cat and Pablo'' (2017) and ''Ugly Cat and Pablo and the Missing Brother'' (2017). She has also written a graphic novel, ''Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide''.

Works

Books

* ''Gabi, a Girl in Pieces''. El Paso, TX:

Cinco Puntos Press Cinco Puntos Press is an imprint of publishing company Lee & Low Books. It is a general trade publisher that has received attention for its bilingual children's books and fiction and non-fiction focusing on the Mexico–United States border regi ...

, 2014. * ''Ugly Cat & Pablo''. Illustrated by Tom Knight. New York, NY:

Scholastic Scholastic may refer to: * a philosopher or theologian in the tradition of scholasticism * ''Scholastic'' (Notre Dame publication) * Scholastic Corporation, an American publishing company of educational materials * Scholastic Building, in New Y ...

, 2017. * ''Ugly Cat & Pablo and the Missing Brother''. Illustrated by Tom Knight. New York, NY:

, 2018. * ''Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide''. Illustrated by Zeke Peña. New York, NY: Getty Publications (Distribution by Abrams), 2018. * ''My Papi Has a Motorcycle''. Illustrated by Zeke Peña. New York, NY: Kokila, 2019.

Awards

*''Gabi, a Girl in Pieces'' has received multiple recognitions: ** Winner of the William C. Morris Award for YA Debut Novel ** Gold Medal Winner of the California Book Award for Young Adult 2015 ** School Library Journal Best Books of 2014 ** Booklist Best Books of 2014 ** Amelia Bloomer List, part of the American Library Association, Social Responsibilities Round Table's Feminist Task Force ** 2015 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Top 10 Selection ** 2015 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults ** 2015

Tomás Rivera Award The Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award recognizes authors and illustrators whose literary work depict the Mexican American experience. This award was established in 1995 by the Texas State University College of Education in hon ...

, Works for Older Children ** 2015 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, Grades 7-12 *
2015 Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens
*''Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide'' won the 2018 Boston Globe–Horn Book Nonfiction Award

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Quintero, Isabel Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 21st-century American novelists 21st-century American poets 21st-century American women writers American writers of Mexican descent American writers of young adult literature California State University, San Bernardino alumni Novelists from California People from Corona, California People from San Bernardino, California Poets from California Women writers of young adult literature