{{Short description|Iranian-American author}} {{Infobox writer | name = Daniel Nayeri | image = Daniel nayeri 8125880.jpg | image_size = | image_upright = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year with {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} unless the exact date is already widely published, as per [[WP:DOB]]. For people who have died, use {{Birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}}. --> | birth_place = Iran | occupation = | language = | education = | alma_mater = [[New York University]] | period = | genre = <!-- or: | genres = --> | subject = <!-- or: | subjects = --> | movement = | notable_works = ''[[Everything Sad Is Untrue]]'', ''[[The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story]]'' | spouse = <!-- or: | spouses = --> | partner = <!-- or: | partners = --> | children = | relatives = [[Dina Nayeri]] | awards = {{plainlist| * [[Michael L. Printz Award]] (2020) * [[Walter Dean Myers Award]] (2020) * [[Christopher Award]] (2021) * [[Newbery Honor]] (2024, 2026) }} | years_active = | website = {{URL|https://www.danielnayeri.com/}} }}
'''Daniel Nayeri''' is an Iranian-American author whose works have earned the [[National Book Award]] and [[Newbery Medal|Newbery Honors]].
==Biography== Nayeri was born in Iran and fled the country with his sister [[Dina Nayeri|Dina]], and their mother, a doctor, after a ''[[fatwa]]'' had been issued against her.<ref name="Culver">{{cite news | last = Culver | first = Galen | date = September 4, 2020 | title = 'Everything Sad is Untrue' – What it was like for an Iranian refugee to grow up in Oklahoma | url = https://kfor.com/news/great-state/everything-sad-is-untrue-what-it-was-like-for-an-iranian-refugee-to-grow-up-in-oklahoma/ | work = KFOR}}</ref><ref name="MN">{{cite magazine | last = Murdock Nichols | first = Maggie | date = July 18, 2023 | title = Everything Sad is Untrue: Growing up as an Iranian refugee in Edmond | url = https://nondoc.com/2023/07/18/everything-sad-is-untrue-an-iranian-refugee-in-edmond/ | magazine = Nondoc}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | last = Nayeri | first = Dina | date = June 18, 2017 | title = My Father, in Four Visits over Thirty Years | url = https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/my-father-in-four-visits-over-thirty-years | magazine = The New Yorker |access-date = }}</ref> They lived for three years in refugee camps in Dubai and Rome before settling in 1990—when Nayeri was eight years old—in [[Edmond, Oklahoma]].<ref name="Culver"/><ref name="MN"/> Nayeri attended [[Edmond Memorial High School]], and [[New York University]], where he studied writing.<ref name="MN"/>
Nayeri was publisher of Odd Dot, a children's publishing group at [[Macmillan Publishers]], before leaving in 2020 to pursue full-time writing.<ref>{{cite magazine | last = Kantor | first = Emma | title = Nathalie Le Du Named Publisher of Odd Dot as Daniel Nayeri Departs | date = February 25, 2021 | url = https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/85668-nathalie-le-du-named-publisher-of-odd-dot-as-daniel-nayeri-departs.html | magazine = Publishers Weekly}}</ref>
Nayeri lives with his wife and son in [[New Jersey]].<ref name="MN"/>
==Works== [[File:Daniel Nayeri at the 2025 National Book Awards 03 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Daniel Nayeri at the 2025 National Book Awards]]
Nayeri's printed works include:<ref>{{cite web | title = Daniel Nayeri | publisher = Library of Congress | url = https://www.loc.gov/search/?all=true&sb=date_desc&uf=contributor:nayeri,%20daniel | accessdate = September 17, 2023}}</ref> {{div col}} * ''Another Faust'', 2009 * ''Another Pan'', 2010 * ''Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow'', 2011 * ''Another Jekyll, Another Hyde'', 2013 * ''How To Tell A Story'', 2015 * ''The Most Dangerous Book : An Illustrated Introduction To Archery'', 2017 * ''Sasha And Puck And The Cure For Courage'', 2019 * ''Sasha And Puck And The Cordial Cordial'', 2019 * ''[[Everything Sad Is Untrue]]'', 2020 * ''Sasha And Puck And The Brew For Brainwash'', 2020 * ''Sasha And Puck And The Potion Of Luck'', 2021 * ''Mirror Town'', 2023 * ''[[The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams]]'', 2023 * ''[[The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story]]'', 2025 {{div col end}}
==Awards== In 2020, ''Everything Sad Is Untrue'' received a [[Michael L. Printz Award]] for best book written for teens,<ref>{{cite magazine | last = Kirch | first = Claire | date = January 26, 2021 | title = Daniel Nayeri: Celebrating with a Champagne Shower | url = https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/85410-daniel-nayeri-celebrating-with-a-champagne-shower.html | magazine = Publishers Weekly}}</ref> and was one of two honorees in the younger readers category for a [[Walter Dean Myers Award]].<ref>{{cite magazine | last = Zeng | first = Cady | date = Jan 21, 2021 | title = Walter Dean Myers Awards Announced | url = https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/85361-walter-dean-myers-awards-announced.html | magazine = Publishers Weekly |access-date = }}</ref> In 2021, the book received a [[Christopher Award]] in the young adult category,<ref>{{cite news | date = April 26, 2021 | title = 'The Way Back,' 'Pray,' Dolly Parton special win Christopher Awards | url = https://catholicreview.org/the-way-back-pray-dolly-parton-special-win-christopher-awards/ | work = Catholic Review}}</ref> and was a finalist for an [[Audie Award for Young Adult Title]].<ref>{{cite web | title = 2021 Audie Awards | publisher = Audio Publishers Association | url = https://www.audiopub.org/2021-audie-awards | accessdate = September 18, 2023 | archive-date = April 4, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230404132318/https://www.audiopub.org/2021-audie-awards | url-status = dead }}</ref> In 2023, the book was nominated for a [[Young Reader's Choice Award]].<ref>{{cite web | title = YRCA 2023 Nominees | publisher = Pacific Northwest Library Association | url = https://pnla.org/young-readers-choice-award/yrca-2023-nominees/ | accessdate = September 18, 2023}}</ref>
''Everything Sad Is Untrue'' was listed as one of the best children's books of 2020 by ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]'', and [[Booklist Editors' Choice]].<ref>{{Cite news | date = December 2, 2020 | title = The 25 Best Children's Books of 2020 | work = The New York Times | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/books/review/best-childrens-books.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | last = Cox Gurdon | first = Meghan | date =December 10, 2020 | title = The Best Books of 2020: Children's Books | work = The Wall Street Journal |url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-books-of-2020-childrens-books-11607642255}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | last = Tolin | first = Lisa | title = 25 of our favorite books for kids, tweens and teens in 2020 | url = https://www.today.com/shop/best-kids-books-t203124 | date = December 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title = Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020 | url = https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9743352 | accessdate = September 17, 2023}}</ref>
In 2024, ''The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams'' was selected as a [[Newbery Honor]] book.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roback |first=Diane |last2=Kantor |first2=Emma |last3=Jones {{!}} |first3=Iyana |title=Eggers, Harrison, King Win 2024 Newbery, Caldecott, Printz Awards |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/94147-eggers-harrison-king-win-2024-newbery-caldecott-printz-awards.html |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=PublishersWeekly.com |language=en}}</ref>
In 2025, ''The Teacher of Nomad Land'' won the National Book Award in the category Young People's Literature. <ref>https://www.nationalbook.org/books/the-teacher-of-nomad-land-a-world-war-ii-story/</ref> It was named a Newbery Honor book in January 2026.<ref>{{citeweb |url=https://www.ala.org/news/2026/01/american-library-association-announces-2026-youth-media-award-winners |title=American Library Association announces 2026 Youth Media Award winners |date=January 26, 2026 |access-date=January 31, 2026 |website=ALA.org}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.danielnayeri.com/}}
{{Michael L. Printz Award Winners}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nayeri, Daniel}} [[Category:American writers of young adult novels]] [[Category:American writers of Iranian descent]] [[Category:New York University alumni]] [[Category:People from Edmond, Oklahoma]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Newbery Honor winners]] [[Category:Michael L. Printz Award winners]] [[Category:National Book Award for Young People's Literature winners]]