Alex Sanchez
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- This article is about the author Alex Sanchez. For the three athletes named Alex Sánchez, see Alex Sánchez (disambiguation).
| Born: | 1957 Mexico City, Mexico |
|---|---|
| Occupation: | author |
| Nationality: | Mexican-American |
| Writing period: | 2001 — present |
| Website: | http://www.alexsanchez.com |
Alex Sanchez is a Mexican-American author of award-winning novels for teens and adults.
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[edit] Life and career
Sanchez was born in 1957 in Mexico City, Mexico to parents of German and Cuban heritage and emigrated to the United States in 1962.
Sanchez's works explore themes of love, friendship, family, coming of age, and gay, bisexual, and questioning youth. His first novel, Rainbow Boys (2001), was selected by the American Library Association (ALA), as a "Best Book for Young Adults". With the novel's debut, Publisher's Weekly (PW) Magazine deemed Sanchez a "Flying Start."
Two sequels, Rainbow High (2003) and Rainbow Road (2005), complete the Rainbow trilogy, portraying the coming of age of three gay and bisexual teenage boys. Both novels were honored as "Books for the Teen Age" by the New York Public Library. Sanchez's novel So Hard to Say (2004), about a group of 13 year-olds, won the Lambda Literary Award for Children's and Young Adult literature.
Additional works by Sanchez include his short story, "If You Kiss a Boy," which appeared in the anthology 13: Thirteen Stories about the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen (2003), edited by James Howe. Sanchez's most recent novel, Getting It, was released in 2006, focusing on gay-straight friendship between two high school boys.
Sanchez studied writing at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts under Michael Cunningham, Richard McCann, Allan Gurganus, Peter Ho Davies, Michael Klein, Elizabeth McCracken, and Jacqueline Woodson.
Although Sanchez's novels are widely accepted in thousands of school and public libraries in America, they have faced a handful of challenges and efforts to ban them. Linda P. Harvey of Mission America in Columbus, Ohio targeted Rainbow Boys in her essay "The World According to PFLAG: Why PFLAG and Children Don't Mix Unless you happen to like child abuse" (sic). The book was also challenged by citizens in Owen, Wisconsin, but ultimately retained by the Owen-Withee Junior and Senior High School, although the superintendent suggested to create a policy of requiring guardian permission to check out the book (ABFFE). In addition to the Wisconsin challenge, the book was also challenged at the Montgomery County Memorial Library System in Montgomery County, Texas (Doyle 6). The ACLU of Texas also reports that Rainbow Boys was challenged in Texas during the 2004-2005 school year (ACLUTX 30).
[edit] Works, Awards, and Achievements
- Rainbow Boys (2001): American Library Association 2002 “Best Book for Young Adults,” International Reading Association 2003 “Young Adults’ Choice,” New York Public Library 2002 “Book for the Teen Age,” Lambda Literary Award 2001 Finalist, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “Blue Ribbon Winner,” Book-of-the-Month Club InsightOutBooks.com selection
- Rainbow High (2003): Lambda Literary Award 2003 Finalist, New York Public Library 2004 “Book for the Teen Age,” Children’s Book Council Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 2004, Book-of-the-Month Club InsightOutBooks.com Main Selection, Quality Paperback Book Club Featured Selection
- '“If You Kiss a Boy”' (short story in the anthology, 13: Thirteen Stories About the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen, James Howe, Ed., 2003). Selected by the Junior Library Guild.
- So Hard to Say (2004): Lambda Literary Award 2004 Winner, Borders Bookstores "Original Voices: New and Emerging Writers" selection, Book-of-the-Month Club InsightOutBooks.com Featured Selection, Mi Zona Hispana selection, New York Public Library 2005 “Book for the Teen Age,” Quill Award 2005 Nominee
- Rainbow Road (2005): Lambda Literary Award 2005 Finalist, New York Public Library 2006 “Book for the Teen Age,” Book-of-the-Month Club InsightOutBooks.com Featured Selection
- Getting It (2006): Book-of-the-Month Club InsightOutBooks.com Featured Selection
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ABFFE: American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. "The Stories Behind Some of This Year's Book Bans and Challenges". Accessed 11 September 2005.
- ACLUTX (American Civil Liberties Union of Texas). "Free People Read Freely: An Annual Report on Banned and Challenged Books in Texas Public Schools 2004-2005." September 25, 2005. http://www.aclutx.org/files/ACLUFTX%20Banned%20Books%20Report%202005.pdf. Accessed 16 August 2006.
- Doyle, Robert P. Books Challenged Or Banned in 2001-2005 Illinois Library Association. (.pdf format) Accessed 11 September 2005.
- Harvey, Linda P. "The World According to PFLAG: Why PFLAG and Children Don't Mix Unless you happen to like child abuse". Accessed 11 September 2005.
- Lewis, Jeni. "Owen-Withee board rejects book-ban request" Marshfield News Herald. 5 January 2005. Accessed 11 September 2005.
