Book Series Guide

Kelly Barnhill

Author guide

Kelly Barnhill Books in Order

Kelly Barnhill is an American author whose work spans middle-grade and adult fantasy, science fiction, short fiction, and juvenile nonfiction. Her novel The Girl Who Drank the Moon won the 2017 Newbery Medal, and she is also a World Fantasy Award winner.

fantasyscience fictionchildren's literaturejuvenile nonfictionshort fiction

Catalog record updated .

Kelly Barnhill's Newest Book

Cover of The Crane Husband

The Crane Husband

novella · First published 2023

A fifteen-year-old teenager is the backbone of her small Midwestern family, budgeting the household finances and raising her younger brother while her mom, a talented artist, weaves beautiful tapestries. For six years, it’s been just the three of them―her mom has brought home guests at times, but none have ever stayed. Yet when her mom brings home a six-foot tall crane with a menacing air, the girl is powerless to prevent her mom letting the intruder into her heart, and her children’s lives. Utterly enchanted and numb to his sharp edges, her mom abandons the world around her to weave the masterpiece the crane demands. In this stunning contemporary retelling of “The Crane Wife” by the Newbery Medal-winning author of The Girl Who Drank the Moon, one fiercely pragmatic teen forced to grow up faster than was fair will do whatever it takes to protect her family―and change the story.

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

Cover of The Girl Who Drank the Moon

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Her Newbery Medal-winning middle-grade fantasy and most widely recognized novel.

Cover of When Women Were Dragons

When Women Were Dragons

A strong entry point to her adult speculative fiction.

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

Novels (21)
  1. Animals with No Eyes

    nonfiction · 2008

  2. Monsters of the Deep

    nonfiction · 2008

    A digital solution for your classroom with features created with teachers and students in mind: - Perpetual license - 24 hour, 7 days a week access - No limit to the number of students accessing one title at a time - Provides a School to…

  3. Sewers and the Rats That Love Them

    nonfiction · 2009

    "Describes the current sewage treatment system and the history of human sewage treatment"--Provided by publisher.

  4. Do You Know Where Your Water Has Been?

    nonfiction · 2009

  5. Blood-Sucking, Man-Eating Monsters

    nonfiction · 2009

    "Describes a variety of popular monsters, including real-life accounts that inspire the legends behind the creatures"--Provided by publisher.

  6. Sick, Nasty Medical Practices

    nonfiction · 2009

    "Describes a variety of strange medical practices from the past"--Provided by publisher.

  7. Bizarre, Creepy Hoaxes

    nonfiction · 2009

    "Describes a variety of famous hoaxes from the past"--Provided by publisher.

  8. Terrifying, Bone-Chilling Rituals and Sacrifices

    nonfiction · 2009

  9. The Wee Book of Pee

    nonfiction · 2009

    "Describes the gross qualities of urine, and how it works to benefit a person's health"--Provided by publisher.

  10. The Bloody Book of Blood

    nonfiction · 2009

  11. The Sweaty Book of Sweat

    nonfiction · 2009

    "Describes the gross qualities of sweat, and how it works to benefit a person's health"--Provided by publisher.

  12. Guess What's Growing: A Photo Riddle Book

    nonfiction · 2010

  13. Mystery Animal Tracks: A Photo Riddle Book

    nonfiction · 2010

    "Photographs and simple text present a variety of animal tracks and facts about the animals that make them"--Provided by publisher.

  14. The Mostly True Story of Jack

    novel · 2011

    Jack is practically invisible at home, but when his parents send him to Hazelwood, Iowa, to spend a summer with his odd aunt and uncle, he suddenly makes friends, is beaten up by the town bully, and is plotted against by the richest man…

  15. Iron Hearted Violet

    novel · 2012

    "Princess Violet is the complete opposite of most fairy-tale princesses -- plain, adventurous, and quite possibly too clever for her own good. One day, while exploring her castle, Violet and her best friend, Demetrius, stumble upon a…

  16. The Witch's Boy

    novel · 2014

    When a Bandit King comes to take the magic that Ned's mother, a witch, is meant to protect, the stuttering, weak boy villagers think should have drowned rather than his twin summons the strength to protect his family and community, while…

  17. The Unlicensed Magician

    novella · 2015

  18. The Girl Who Drank the Moon

    novel · 2016

    An epic fantasy about a young girl raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, who must unlock the powerful magic buried deep inside her.

  19. The Ogress and the Orphans

    novel · 2022

    A new instant-classic fantasy about the power of generosity and love, and how a community suffers when they disappear, by Kelly Barnhill, winner of the Newbery Medal for The Girl Who Drank the Moon, a New York Times bestseller.…

  20. When Women Were Dragons

    novel · 2022

    In the first adult novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Ogress and The Orphans, Alex Green is a young girl in a world much like ours, except for its most seminal event: the Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of…

  21. The Crane Husband

    novella · 2023

    A fifteen-year-old teenager is the backbone of her small Midwestern family, budgeting the household finances and raising her younger brother while her mom, a talented artist, weaves beautiful tapestries. For six years, it’s been just the…

Short fiction (1)

Frequently asked questions about Kelly Barnhill

Who is Kelly Barnhill?

Kelly Barnhill is an American author whose work spans children’s and adult fantasy, science fiction, and nonfiction. She lives in Minneapolis with her family.

Source: us.macmillan.com (opens in a new tab)

What did Kelly Barnhill do before becoming an author?

Before becoming a full-time author, Barnhill worked as a teacher, bartender, activist, park ranger, and janitor, among other jobs.

Sources: ala.org (opens in a new tab)readingrockets.org (opens in a new tab)

How did Kelly Barnhill become a writer?

Barnhill wrote poetry in college but took a winding path through family life, park-ranger work, and teaching. Reading books aloud with her children and writing before dawn eventually helped her take writing seriously as a career.

Sources: ocls.org (opens in a new tab)readingrockets.org (opens in a new tab)

What influences Kelly Barnhill’s writing?

She has described fairy tales, oral storytelling, and the sound and rhythm of language as major influences. Her childhood experiences hearing C. S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Dickens read aloud also shaped her relationship with stories.

Sources: readingrockets.org (opens in a new tab)publishersweekly.com (opens in a new tab)

Which awards has Kelly Barnhill won?

Barnhill won the 2017 John Newbery Medal for The Girl Who Drank the Moon and the 2016 World Fantasy Award for Long Fiction for The Unlicensed Magician.

Sources: ala.org (opens in a new tab)worldfantasy.org (opens in a new tab)