Everything Sad Is Untrue

{{Short description|2020 young adult novel by Daniel Nayeri}} {{Infobox book| | genre = [[Young adult fiction]], [[middle grade fiction]], [[autobiographical novel]] | preceded_by = | oclc = 1249707429 | congress = | dewey = | isbn_note = Hardcover | isbn = 9781646140008 | pages = 268 | media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]]), [[e-book]], [[audiobook]] | english_release_date = | release_date = August 25, 2020 | publisher = [[Levine Querido]]/[[Scholastic Corporation]] | subject = | name = Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story) | series = | language = [[English language|English]] | country = United States | cover_artist = | illustrator = | author = [[Daniel Nayeri]] | caption = | image = Everything_Sad_is_Untrue.jpg | translator = | title_orig = | followed_by = | illustrators = }}

'''''Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)''''' is a [[Young adult fiction|young adult]]/[[Middle grade fiction|middle grade]] [[autobiographical novel]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Gaetano|first=Siân|date=2020-06-03|title=Daniel Nayeri and the Entirely Biographical Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story)|url=https://www.shelf-awareness.com/dedicated-issue.html?issue=56|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Shelf Awareness}}</ref> by [[Daniel Nayeri]], published August 25, 2020 by [[Arthur A. Levine Books|Levine Querido]]. In 2021, the book won the [[Michael L. Printz Award]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=|date=2022-01-24|title=2021 Printz Award|url=https://www.ala.org/yalsa/2021-printz-award|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)|language=en}}</ref> Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=2021 Judy Lopez Award Winners|url=https://bookshop.org/lists/2021-judy-lopez-award-winners|access-date=2022-02-10|website=WNBA-LA}}</ref> and [[Middle East]] Book Award for Youth Literature.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Youth Literature Honorees {{!}} Middle East Book Award|url=http://www.meoc.us/youth-literature.html|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Middle East Outreach Council|language=en}}</ref>

== Background == Nayeri has stated that ''Everything Sad Is Untrue'' is "entirely biographical" and that "the first version ... was a nonfiction essay for adults."<ref name=":0" /> Because "[t]he heart of the story was from the perspective of a pre-teen," he selected his pre-teen self as the narrator, "changed some names, and ... invented dialogue."<ref name=":0" /> Aside from these changes, however, Nayeri thinks of the book as a [[memoir]].<ref name=":0" />

Although he began writing the book in his twenties, Nayeri says he had been contemplating it since he was ten years old because, as an immigrant from [[Iran]] to [[Oklahoma]], he often found himself explaining himself.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Goddu|first=Krystyna Poray|date=2020-08-06|title=Q & A with Daniel Nayeri|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/84030-q-a-with-daniel-nayeri.html|access-date=2022-02-10|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en}}</ref>

In terms of ''Everything Sad Is Untrue''<nowiki/>'s guiding principle, Nayeri noted, "The book is immediately asking the reader not to lie to themselves. Not to dare believe they are any better. Not to omit themselves from the guilt. And from there it sets out to convince the reader that strictly speaking, all our memories are lies we tell ourselves."<ref name=":0" />

== Reception == ''Everything Sad is Untrue'' was generally well-received, including starred reviews from ''[[Booklist]]'',<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Khuri|first=Ronny|date=July 2020|title=Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/Everything-Sad-Is-Untrue-A-True-Story-/pid=9734249|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Booklist}}</ref> ''[[The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books]],''<ref>{{Cite web|title=July 2020|url=https://bccb.ischool.illinois.edu/monthly/2020-07/|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books|language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[Kirkus Reviews]],''<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|date=2020-05-05|title=Everything Sad Is Untrue|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/search/books/?q=Everything+Sad+Is+Untrue&sf=t|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Kirkus Reviews}}</ref> ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'',<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Children's Book Review: Everything Sad Is Untrue (A True Story) by Daniel Nayeri. Levine Querido, $17.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-64614-000-8|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-64614-000-8|access-date=2022-02-10|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en}}</ref> and ''[[School Library Journal]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Writt|first=Hilary|date=2020-07-01|title=Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)|url=https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=everything-sad-is-untrue-a-true-story|access-date=2022-02-10|website=School Library Journal}}</ref>

In various reviews, the book was called "[m]esmerizing and hard-hitting,"<ref name=":6" /> "a modern epic,"<ref name=":5" /> "impressive,"<ref name=":6" />

''Booklist''<nowiki/>'s Ronny Khuri noted, "Nayeri challenges outright what young readers can handle, in form and content, but who can deny him when it's his own experience on display? He demands much of readers, but in return he gives them everything," and ultimately called the book "[a] remarkable work that raises the literary bar in children's lit."<ref name=":4" />

''BookPage,''<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-10|title=Best Books of 2020: Young Adult|url=https://www.bookpage.com/features/25732-best-books-2020-young-adult/|access-date=2022-02-10|website=BookPage|language=en-US}}</ref> ''The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,''<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 Blue Ribbons|url=https://bccb.ischool.illinois.edu/blueribbons/2020-blue-ribbons/|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books|language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-12-02|title=The 25 Best Children's Books of 2020|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/books/review/best-childrens-books.html|access-date=2022-02-10|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> [[NPR]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=NPR|title=Best Books 2021: Books We Love|url=https://apps.npr.org/best-books/|access-date=2022-02-10|website=NPR|language=en-US}}</ref> ''Publishers Weekly,''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Best Books 2020: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly|url=https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2020/young-adult|access-date=2022-02-10|website=PublishersWeekly.com}}</ref> ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]],''<ref>{{Cite web|title=25 of our favorite books for kids, tweens and teens in 2020|url=https://www.today.com/shop/best-kids-books-t203124|access-date=2022-02-10|website=TODAY.com|date=11 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> and ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gurdon|first=Meghan Cox|date=2020-12-10|title=The Best Books of 2020: Children's Books|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-books-of-2020-childrens-books-11607642255|access-date=2022-02-10|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> named ''Everything Sad is Untrue'' one of the best books of the year. {| class="wikitable" |+Awards and honors for ''Everything Sad Is Untrue'' !Year !Award/Honor !Result !Ref. |- |2020 |[[Booklist Editors' Choice]]: Books for Youth |Selection |<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-01|title=Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9743352|access-date=2022-01-10|website=Booklist}}</ref> |- | rowspan="6" |2021 |Booklist's Best Books for Tweens |Top 10 |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Julia|date=2021-04-15|title=Top 10 Novels for Tweens: 2021|url=https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9747123|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Booklist}}</ref> |- |[[Christopher Award]] for Young People |Selection |<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2021-04-14|title=Awards: Hugo Finalists; Christopher Winners, NYPL Young Lions Fiction Shortlist|url=https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3964|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Shelf Awareness}}</ref> |- |Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature |'''Winner''' |<ref name=":2" /> |- |[[Michael L. Printz Award]] |'''Winner''' |<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Gaetano|first=Siân|date=2021-01-28|title=Daniel Nayeri: 2021 Michael L. Printz Award Winner|url=https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3911|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Shelf Awareness}}</ref> |- |Middle East Book Award for Youth Literature |'''Winner''' |<ref name=":3" /> |- |[[Walter Dean Myers Award]] |Honor |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gaetano|first=Siân|date=2021-03-15|title=Walter Dean Myers Awards|url=https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3942|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Shelf Awareness}}</ref> |}

== References == {{Reflist}}{{American Library Association}}

[[Category:Arthur A. Levine Books books]] [[Category:2020 children's books]] [[Category:American autobiographical novels]] [[Category:Michael L. Printz Award–winning works]]