{{short description|American author}} {{BLP primary sources|date=February 2025}} {{use mdy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox writer | embed = | pseudonym = | honorific_suffix = | image = Aiden Thomas by Gage Skidmore.jpg | image_size = | image_upright = | alt = | caption = Thomas in 2024 | native_name = | residence = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | occupation = | language = | name = Aiden Thomas | honorific_prefix = | spouse = | citizenship = United States of America | alma_mater = Mills College | home_town = | period = | genre = Young adult fiction | subject = <!-- or: | subjects = --> | movement = | notableworks = Cemetery Boys | partner = | children = | nationality = American | relatives = | awards = | signature = | signature_alt = | years_active = | module = | website = {{URL|https://www.aiden-thomas.com/}} | education = | portaldisp = <!-- "on", "yes", "true", etc.; or omit --> }} '''Aiden Thomas''' (born July 14, c.1989) is an American author of young adult novels, best known for the book ''Cemetery Boys'' which was a ''New York Times'' bestseller and won numerous awards, including best of the year recognition from the American Library Association, ''Publishers Weekly'', Barnes & Noble, NPR and ''School Library Journal''.
== Early life and education == Thomas was born in Oakland, California, and received a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing from Mills College.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=30 June 2025 |title=Aiden Thomas Education |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidenthomas714/details/education/ |website=LinkedIn}}</ref>
== Personal life == He is of Cuban and Mexican heritage.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 January 2021 |title=Aiden Thomas |url=https://x.com/aidenschmaiden/status/1347451368231948292 |website=Twitter}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-04 |title=GeekGirlCon |url=https://geekgirlcon.com/qa-with-featured-contributor-aiden-thomas/ |access-date=2025-06-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nava |first=Eliana |date=2024 |title=Aiden Thomas on Queer Joy and Magic |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/3/article/964013 |journal=Chiricú Journal: Latina/o Literatures, Arts, and Cultures |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=118–122 |issn=2472-4521}}</ref>
From 2007 to 2010, he attended Mills College, majoring in English and Psychology.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Penn |first=Farrah |date=2020-12-02 |title=YA Author Aiden Thomas Discusses How Bestselling "Cemetery Boys" Wasn't Originally Supposed To Be Their Debut And How Their Identity Shaped The Story |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/farrahpenn/aiden-thomas-interview-cemetery-boys |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=BuzzFeed |language=en}}</ref> While there, he rowed crew. The practices were at 5am, and he was always sleepy, so the coxswain called him "aidenschmaiden" which he later used for his Twitter username.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 August 2020 |title=Aiden Thomas on where his username came from |url=https://x.com/aidenschmaiden/status/1300151291071455232 |website=Twitter}}</ref>
In 2011, he trained as a EMT<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burt |first=Kayti |date=2020-08-10 |title=Cemetery Boys: A Conversation with YA Author Aiden Thomas |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/books/cemetery-boys-aiden-thomas-interview/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US}}</ref> and nearly completed a year before suffering from an accident.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 February 2019 |title=Aiden Thomas on how he became an author |url=https://x.com/aidenschmaiden/status/1098362664143601664 |website=Twitter}}</ref>
In 2012–2013, he completed a post baccalaureate at Portland State University, studying English.<ref name=":3" />
In 2013–2015, he completed an MFA in Creative Writing at Mills College, where he had 5 stories published and his thesis became the basis of a later book, ''Lost in the Never Woods''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MacKids Spotlight: Aiden Thomas – MacKids School & Library |url=https://www.mackidsschoolandlibrary.com/mackids-spotlight-aiden-thomas/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=www.mackidsschoolandlibrary.com}}</ref>
Thomas lives in Portland.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Aiden Thomas |url=https://us.macmillan.com/author/aidenthomas |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915045229/https://us.macmillan.com/author/aidenthomas |archive-date=September 15, 2021 |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=Macmillan Publishers}}</ref> He is transgender and uses he/they pronouns.<ref>{{cite web |last=La Jeunesse |first=Marilyn |date=September 6, 2022 |title=The Sunbearer Trials Is a Window Into a Rich World of Queer Demigods |url=https://www.them.us/story/aiden-thomas-the-sunbearer-trials-interview-ya-queer-fiction |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240802011101/https://www.them.us/story/aiden-thomas-the-sunbearer-trials-interview-ya-queer-fiction |archive-date=August 2, 2024 |access-date=September 7, 2024 |work=Them}}</ref>
== Books == === ''Cemetery Boys'' === {{main|Cemetery Boys}} ''Cemetery Boys'' was published on September 1, 2020, by Swoon Reads.<ref name=":1" /> It tells the story of Yadriel, who is queer, transgender, Latino and a brujo. Unfortunately, his family does not recognize him as a man, which has serious effects on his abilities. The book was named a best seller by ''The'' ''New York Times'' and ''IndieBound'',<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=July 15, 2020|title=Cemetery Boys|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/aiden-thomas/cemetery-boys/|access-date=September 15, 2021|website=Kirkus Reviews|archive-date=September 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915045223/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/aiden-thomas/cemetery-boys/|url-status=live}}</ref> the first trans-centered book to do so,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Michelle Hyun |date=2020-09-11 |title=Trans YA Author Makes History With NYT Best-Selling Novel "Cemetery Boys" |url=https://www.them.us/story/trans-author-cemetery-boys-nyt-bestseller |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Them |language=en-US}}</ref> and received starred reviews from ''Publishers Weekly''<ref>{{Cite web|last=March Soloway|first=Jennifer|date=2020-06-25|title=Children's Book Review: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250250469|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Publishers Weekly|archive-date=September 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915045229/https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250250469|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''Booklist''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bittner|first=Rob|date=May 1, 2020|title=Cemetery Boys|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Cemetery-Boys-/pid=9733271|access-date=September 15, 2021|via=Booklist|archive-date=September 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915045228/https://www.booklistonline.com/Cemetery-Boys-/pid=9733271|url-status=live}}</ref>
The sequel, ''Espíritu'', is set to be published on September 8, 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cemetery Boys: Espíritu |url=https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250894939/cemeteryboysespiritu/ |access-date=2025-12-13 |website=Macmillan Publishers |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== ''Lost in the Never Woods'' === ''Lost in the Never Woods'' was published on March 23, 2021, by Swoon Reads.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 10, 2021 |title=Lost in the Never Woods |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/aiden-thomas/lost-in-the-never-woods/ |access-date=September 7, 2024 |website=Kirkus Reviews |archive-date=September 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907165037/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/like-dislike/2000245635/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It is a retelling of ''Peter Pan''. The book, as well as the audiobook, received a starred review from ''Booklist''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Smith|first=Candace|date=June 1, 2021|title=Lost in the Never Woods|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Lost-in-the-Never-Woods-/pid=9748309|access-date=September 15, 2021|via=Booklist|archive-date=September 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915045226/https://www.booklistonline.com/Lost-in-the-Never-Woods-/pid=9748309|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Leary|first=Alaina|date=February 1, 2021|title=Lost in the Never Woods|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Lost-in-the-Never-Woods-/pid=9741923|access-date=September 15, 2021|via=Booklist|archive-date=September 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915045229/https://www.booklistonline.com/Lost-in-the-Never-Woods-/pid=9741923|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== ''The Sunbearer Trials'' duology === ''The Sunbearer Trials'', a Mexican-inspired fantasy was published on September 6, 2022 by Feiwel & Friends.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Sunbearer Trials |url=https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250822130/thesunbearertrials |access-date=2022-04-29 |website=Macmillan |language=en-US |archive-date=April 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419073917/https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250822130/thesunbearertrials |url-status=live }}</ref> It received starred reviews from ''Booklist'' and ''Publishers Weekly.''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-21 |title=The Sunbearer Trials (The Sunbearer #1) by Aiden Thomas |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250822130 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Publishers Weekly |archive-date=September 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220924220109/https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250822130 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Stephanie |date=August 2022 |title=The Sunbearer Trials |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/The-Sunbearer-Trials-/pid=9764834 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Booklist |archive-date=September 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907165003/https://www.booklistonline.com/The-Sunbearer-Trials-/pid=9764834 |url-status=live }}</ref> The finale in this series, ''Celestial Monsters,'' was published on September 3, 2024 by Feiwel & Friends.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2024-08-30 |title=Celestial Monsters |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/aiden-thomas/celestial-monsters/ |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Kirkus Reviews |archive-date=September 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907164944/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/like-dislike/2000117828/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It received starred reviews from ''Booklist'' and ''Kirkus Reviews''.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leary |first=Fin |date=July 2024 |title=Celestial Monsters |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Celestial-Monsters-/pid=9793651 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Booklist |archive-date=September 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907164933/https://www.booklistonline.com/Celestial-Monsters-/pid=9793651 |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== ''Just Max'' === In October 2021, Thomas announced the acquisition of ''Just Max'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Aiden |date=2021-10-19 |title=my way of surviving quarantine was to write a story about a trans boy starting college, experiencing the foibles of being stealth in a co-ed dorm, and falling in love with the cute boy who offered to tutor him in math and now i get to share it! |url=https://twitter.com/aidenschmaiden/status/1450580597093453824 |access-date=2022-09-13 |website=Twitter |language=en |archive-date=August 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828025521/https://twitter.com/aidenschmaiden/status/1450580597093453824 |url-status=live }}</ref> a contemporary YA novel about a trans boy going to college and navigating all the new experiences that includes. Release was set for Winter 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rights Report: Week of October 18, 2021 |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/87669-rights-report-week-of-october-18-2021.html |access-date=2022-09-13 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en |archive-date=August 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828025521/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/87669-rights-report-week-of-october-18-2021.html |url-status=live }}</ref> but as of December 2025, the book has not yet been published.
== Awards and honors == ''Cemetery Boys'' is a Junior Library Guild book.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cemetery Boys |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/cemetery-boys-9781250250469j |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Junior Library Guild |language=en |archive-date=September 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907165054/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/cemetery-boys-9781250250469j |url-status=live }}</ref> It was a ''New York Times'' and Indiebound bestseller,<ref name=":1" /> and ''Publishers Weekly'', NPR, and Barnes & Noble named it one of the best books of 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Best Books 2020: Publishers Weekly - Young Adult |url=https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2020/young-adult |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=Publishers Weekly |archive-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517175319/https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2020/young-adult |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NPR's Book Concierge |url=https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2020 |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=NPR |archive-date=July 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708074303/https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Cemetery Boys{{!}}Hardcover |url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cemetery-boys-aiden-thomas/1132278940?ean=9781250250469 |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=Barnes & Noble |language=en |archive-date=October 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018182242/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cemetery-boys-aiden-thomas/1132278940?ean=9781250250469 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''School Library Journal'' included the audiobook on their list of the top ten audiobooks of 2020,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Klose |first=Stephanie |title=Top 10 Audiobooks of 2020 |url=https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=slj-Top-10-Audiobooks-2020 |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=School Library Journal |archive-date=September 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915045229/https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=slj-Top-10-Audiobooks-2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> the American Library Association (ALA) included it on their 2020 list of the top ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-01-05 |title=2021 Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults |url=https://www.ala.org/yalsa/2021-top-ten-amazing-audiobooks-young-adults |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) |language=en |archive-date=January 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115223600/http://www.ala.org/yalsa/2021-top-ten-amazing-audiobooks-young-adults |url-status=live }}</ref> The following year, the ALA included it in the top ten on their Best Fiction for Young Adults list,<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Best-Fiction-for-Young-Adults/pid=9744798 |title=Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2021 |date=March 15, 2021 |access-date=2021-09-15 |via=Booklist |archive-date=June 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606034410/https://www.booklistonline.com/Best-Fiction-for-Young-Adults/pid=9744798 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-01-14 |title=2021 Top Ten Best Fiction |url=https://www.ala.org/yalsa/2021-top-ten-best-fiction |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) |language=en |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114224418/http://www.ala.org/yalsa/2021-top-ten-best-fiction |url-status=live }}</ref> ALA Rainbow Book List,<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Rainbow-List/pid=9746003 |title=Rainbow List: 2021 |date=March 15, 2021 |access-date=2021-09-15 |via=Booklist |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221151407/https://www.booklistonline.com/Rainbow-List/pid=9746003 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Teens' Top Ten list.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Teens' Top Ten |url=https://www.ala.org/yalsa/sites/ala.org.yalsa/files/content/awardsandgrants/List%20of%20TTT%202021%20Nominees%20with%20Full%20Annotations.pdf |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=American Library Association |archive-date=October 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007195945/https://www.ala.org/yalsa/sites/ala.org.yalsa/files/content/awardsandgrants/List%20of%20TTT%202021%20Nominees%20with%20Full%20Annotations.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2023, the ALA included ''The Sunbearer Trials'' on their list of the Best Fiction for Young Adults and their Rainbow List.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-15 |title=Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2023 |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9777018 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Booklist |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327151925/https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9777018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-15 |title=Rainbow List: 2023 |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9776835 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Booklist |archive-date=May 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518231310/https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9776835 |url-status=live }}</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" |+Awards for Thomas's writing !Year !Title !Award !Result !{{Abbreviation|Ref.|References}} |- ! rowspan="4" |2020 | rowspan="6" |''Cemetery Boys'' |Bram Stoker Award for Best Young Adult Novel |Shortlisted |<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Bram Stoker Awards 2020 |url=http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/uncategorized/the-bram-stoker-awards-2020/ |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=The Bram Stoker Awards |language=en |archive-date=June 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603210837/http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/uncategorized/the-bram-stoker-awards-2020/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction |Nominee |<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=Cemetery Boys |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/69233016-cemetery-boys |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=Goodreads |archive-date=September 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907164935/https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52339313-cemetery-boys |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Novel |Nominee |<ref name=":12" /> |- |National Book Award for Young People's Literature |Longlisted |<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Book Awards 2020 |url=https://www.nationalbook.org/awards-prizes/national-book-awards-2020/ |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=National Book Foundation |language=en-US |archive-date=September 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917153721/https://www.nationalbook.org/awards-prizes/national-book-awards-2020/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kantor |first=Emma |date=September 16, 2020 |title=2020 NBA Longlist for Young People's Literature Announced |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/84340-2020-nba-longlist-for-young-people-s-literature-announced.html |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en |archive-date=June 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606021336/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/84340-2020-nba-longlist-for-young-people-s-literature-announced.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- ! rowspan="3" |2021 |Locus Award for Best First Novel |Nominee |<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-06-26 |title=2021 Locus Awards Winners |url=https://locusmag.com/2021/06/2021-locus-awards-winners/ |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=Locus Online |language=en-US |archive-date=December 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217040541/https://locusmag.com/2021/06/2021-locus-awards-winners/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |Lodestar Award |Finalist |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-01 |title=2021 Hugo Awards |url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2021-hugo-awards/ |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=The Hugo Awards |language=en-US |archive-date=May 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513061714/https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2021-hugo-awards/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |''Lost in the Never Woods'' |Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction |Nominee |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lost in the Never Woods |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39897752-lost-in-the-never-woods |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Goodreads |language=en |archive-date=September 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907164935/https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39897752-lost-in-the-never-woods |url-status=live }}</ref> |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.aiden-thomas.com/ Aiden Thomas official website]
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Aiden}} Category:American writers of young adult literature Category:Writers from Oakland, California Category:American queer writers Category:Hispanic and Latino American LGBTQ people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:American LGBTQ novelists Category:Transgender novelists Category:American transgender writers Category:American transgender men Category:Transgender male writers Category:Queer novelists Category:Mills College alumni Category:Novelists from California Category:21st-century American novelists Category:Hispanic and Latino American novelists Category:LGBTQ people from California Category:21st-century American male writers