Josh Berk (born 1976) is an American author of books for children and teens. His first published Young Adult novel, ''The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin'' (Random House, 2010) won a Parent's Choice Silver Medal and was named "a best book of 2010 for teens" by
Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
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and ''
Kirkus Reviews''.
His first mystery for young readers, ''Strike Three, You're Dead'' was nominated for an
Edgar Award in 2014.
Biography
Berk was born in
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Northampton and Lehigh Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bethlehem had a total population of 75,781. Of this, 55,639 were in Northampton County and 19, ...
. He grew up in Bethlehem, where both of his parents worked as librarians. He graduated from
Drew University
Drew University is a private university in Madison, New Jersey. Drew has been nicknamed the "University in the Forest" because of its wooded campus. As of fall 2020, more than 2,200 students were pursuing degrees at the university's three sch ...
in
Madison, New Jersey
Madison is a borough in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 16,937.
Located along the Morris & Essex Lines, it is noted for Madison's historic railroad station becoming on ...
and also holds an MLIS from the
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
. He has worked in public libraries since 1998 and was appointed as executive director of the Bethlehem Area Public Library in 2014. He has served as a professor of English, writing, and young adult literature at several colleges and is an active member of the
Society for American Baseball Research
The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a membership organization dedicated to fostering the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball primarily through the use of statistics. Established in Cooperstown, New ...
.
Berk began writing for newspapers and magazines, including ''
The Morning Call
''The Morning Call'' is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after '' The Express-Times''. In 2020, the newspaper permanently closed its ...
'' in
Allentown, Pennsylvania. He also published poetry in journals, including ''Black Bear Review'' and ''Thunder Sandwich''. He then pursued a master's degree at the
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
, where he studied Young Adult literature and became enamored with the genre. His first young adult novel, ''The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin'' was published in 2010. It was described by ''
School Library Journal
''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...
'' as "
coming-of-age mash-up of satire, realistic fiction, mystery, and ill-fated teen romance." It has also received acclaim for starring a deaf protagonist and its skillful handling of related issues. His second young adult novel, ''Guy Langman: Crime Scene Procrastinator'', received positive reviews from ''School Library Journal'', ''Booklist'', and ''Kirkus''. In 2013, ''Strike Three, You're Dead'' launched a series of baseball-themed mysteries for younger readers called ''Lenny and the Mikes.'' ''Strike Three, You're Dead'' was an Edgar Award finalist and a selection for the
New York Public Library's 2013 "Books for Reading and Sharing". The second book in the series, ''Say It Ain't So,'' was published in 2014.
Bibliography
Novels
*2010 — ''The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin'', Random House,
*2012 — ''Guy Langman: Crime Scene Procrastinator'', Random House,
*2013 — ''Strike Three, You're Dead'', Random House,
*2014 — ''Say It Ain't So'', Random House, .
*2020 — ''Camp Murderface'', HarperCollins, co-authored with
Saundra Mitchell
Saundra Mitchell (born September 3, 1973) is an American novelist who has also written under the pseudonyms of Jessa Holbrook and Alex Mallory.
Personal life
Mitchell is gay and has daughters.
Career
Mitchell worked as the head screenwriter ...
*2021 — ''Camp Murderface 2: The Doom in the Deep'', HarperCollins, co-authored with
Saundra Mitchell
Saundra Mitchell (born September 3, 1973) is an American novelist who has also written under the pseudonyms of Jessa Holbrook and Alex Mallory.
Personal life
Mitchell is gay and has daughters.
Career
Mitchell worked as the head screenwriter ...
Short fiction
*"The Shift Sticks," Short story in ''Cornered,'' a bullying-themed anthology. Published by Running Press Kids, 2012. .
*"MC Wax," Short story in ''Starry Eyed: 16 Stories that Steal the Spotlight'', a performing arts themed anthology. Published by Running Press Kids, 2013. .
Other published works
*"Be a Jock or A Nerd." Essay contributed to ''Break These Rules: 35 YA Authors Write About Speaking Up, Standing Out, and Being Yourself.'' Chicago Review Press, 2013.
Periodicals
*Booklist, December 15, 2009, Cindy Dobrez, review of ''The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin'', p. 34.
*Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, March, 2010, Karen Coats, review of ''The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin'', p. 277.
*Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2009, review of ''The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin''.
*Publishers Weekly, January 18, 2010, review of ''The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin'', p. 49.
*School Library Journal, January, 2010, Jeffrey Hastings, review of ''The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin'', p. 96.
*
Voice of Youth Advocates
''Voice of Youth Advocates'' (''VOYA'') is a bimonthly magazine that provides book reviews and information for librarians with a focus on young adult materials.
History and profile
''VOYA'' was established in 1978. The founders are Dorothy Brode ...
, June, 2010, Grace Zokovitch and Diane Colson, review of ''The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin'', p. 146.
*The Morning Call, April 4, 2012, Bethlehem author Josh Berk debuts new book for teens,"
by Kathy Lauer-Williams, Of The Morning Call.
References
External links
Official website Josh Berk blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berk, Josh
1976 births
Living people
American writers of young adult literature
Writers from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania