SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE POST

2016 Judge: Tim Federle

February 8, 2016 by Battle Commander 3 comments

Tim Federle grew up in Pittsburgh before moving to New York to dance on Broadway. His debut novel for kids, Better Nate Than Ever —described as “Judy Blume as seen through a Stephen Sondheim lens” by Huffington Post—was named a New York Time’s Notable Children’s Book of 2013 and a best book of the year by Amazon, Publishers Weekly, and Slate.com. The book’s sequel, Five, Six, Seven, Nate!, was named a best book of 2014 by Amazon and the American Booksellers Association, and won the Lambda Literary Award. Tim’s narration of the Nate audio books earned honors from the American Library Association, and his first picture book for young readers, Tommy Can’t Stop, was an independent booksellers’ Indie Next pick. Called “a man who has devoted his life to giving others a good time—regardless of who his audience is,” by Atlantic.com.

Federle also pens bestselling cocktail recipe books, including Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist (called “a gem” by Buzzfeed and featured as a clue on “Jeopardy!”), Hickory Daiquiri Dock: Cocktails with a Nursery Rhyme Twist (called “more fun at a baby shower than a Diaper Genie” by theTampa Bay Times), and Gone with the Gin: Cocktails with a Hollywood Twist —which was released in October 2015. Tim’s first novel for young adults, The Great American Whatever, will be available March 2016 from Simon & Schuster. Federle travels the country widely to give speeches and master classes on his journey from bullied to Broadway to books. Say hi at TimFederle.com and connect on Twitter and Instagram at @TimFederle.

Filed under: 2016, Judge

About Battle Commander

The Battle Commander is the nom de guerre for children’s literature enthusiasts Monica Edinger and Roxanne Hsu Feldman, fourth grade teacher and middle school librarian at the Dalton School in New York City and Jonathan Hunt, the County Schools Librarian at the San Diego County Office of Education. All three have served on the Newbery Committee as well as other book selection and award committees. They are also published authors of books, articles, and reviews in publications such as the New York Times, School Library Journal, and the Horn Book Magazine. You can find Monica at educating alice and on twitter as @medinger. Roxanne is at Fairrosa Cyber Library and on twitter as @fairrosa. Jonathan can be reached at hunt_yellow@yahoo.com.

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Related Articles on SLJ

Strength in Community: Librarians and Authors Head to ALA Annual in Philadelphia

NCAC and Brooklyn Public Library Launch Teen Advocacy Institute | News Bites

Going Viral: Share These Books About Infectious Diseases and Vaccines

Author Leon Egan on YA Debut ‘Lover Birds’ | 5 Questions and a Rec

Silence Is Not an Option For These Student Advocates

2016 Judge: Tim Federle

About Battle Commander

SLJ Blog Network

Notes on June 2025

Press Release Fun: We Need Diverse Books, Authors, and Indie Bookstores Support Trans and Nonbinary Youth

Miss Camper | This Week’s Comics

Our Mock Newbery List is Up to 52 Titles

How the movie Interstellar led to the YA book BOUND BY STARS, a guest post by author E. L. Starling

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

How Colby Sharp Celebrates Reading with Students

Related Posts

2016 Judge: Ann M. Martin (the Closer)

2016 Judge: Maris Wicks

2016 Judge: Padma Venkatraman

2016 Judge: Pamela S. Turner

2016 Judge: Mariko Tamaki

Archives