# Everything Sad Is Untrue

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2020 young adult novel by Daniel Nayeri

Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story) Author Daniel Nayeri Language English Genre Young adult fiction, middle grade fiction, autobiographical novel Publisher Levine Querido/Scholastic Corporation Publication date August 25, 2020 Publication place United States Media type Print (hardcover and paperback), e-book, audiobook Pages 268 ISBN 9781646140008 Hardcover OCLC 1249707429

***Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)*** is a [young adult](/source/Young_adult_fiction)/[middle grade](/source/Middle_grade_fiction) [autobiographical novel](/source/Autobiographical_novel)[1] by [Daniel Nayeri](/source/Daniel_Nayeri), published August 25, 2020 by [Levine Querido](/source/Arthur_A._Levine_Books). In 2021, the book won the [Michael L. Printz Award](/source/Michael_L._Printz_Award),[2] Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature,[3] and [Middle East](/source/Middle_East) Book Award for Youth Literature.[4]

## Background

Nayeri has stated that *Everything Sad Is Untrue* is "entirely biographical" and that "the first version ... was a nonfiction essay for adults."[1] 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."[1] Aside from these changes, however, Nayeri thinks of the book as a [memoir](/source/Memoir).[1]

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](/source/Iran) to [Oklahoma](/source/Oklahoma), he often found himself explaining himself.[5]

In terms of *Everything Sad Is Untrue*'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."[1]

## Reception

*Everything Sad is Untrue* was generally well-received, including starred reviews from *[Booklist](/source/Booklist)*,[6] *[The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books](/source/The_Bulletin_of_the_Center_for_Children's_Books),*[7] *[Kirkus Reviews](/source/Kirkus_Reviews),*[8] *[Publishers Weekly](/source/Publishers_Weekly)*,[9] and *[School Library Journal](/source/School_Library_Journal)*.[10]

In various reviews, the book was called "[m]esmerizing and hard-hitting,"[9] "a modern epic,"[8] "impressive,"[9]

*Booklist*'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."[6]

*BookPage,*[11] *The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,*[12] *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*,[13] [NPR](/source/NPR),[14] *Publishers Weekly,*[15] *[Today](/source/Today_(American_TV_program)),*[16] and *[The Wall Street Journal](/source/The_Wall_Street_Journal)*[17] named *Everything Sad is Untrue* one of the best books of the year.

Awards and honors for Everything Sad Is Untrue Year Award/Honor Result Ref. 2020 Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth Selection [18] 2021 Booklist's Best Books for Tweens Top 10 [19] Christopher Award for Young People Selection [20] Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature Winner [3] Michael L. Printz Award Winner [2][21] Middle East Book Award for Youth Literature Winner [4] Walter Dean Myers Award Honor [22]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_1-4) Gaetano, Siân (2020-06-03). ["Daniel Nayeri and the Entirely Biographical Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story)"](https://www.shelf-awareness.com/dedicated-issue.html?issue=56). *Shelf Awareness*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_2-1) ["2021 Printz Award"](https://www.ala.org/yalsa/2021-printz-award). *Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)*. 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_3-1) ["2021 Judy Lopez Award Winners"](https://bookshop.org/lists/2021-judy-lopez-award-winners). *WNBA-LA*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_4-1) ["Youth Literature Honorees | Middle East Book Award"](http://www.meoc.us/youth-literature.html). *Middle East Outreach Council*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Goddu, Krystyna Poray (2020-08-06). ["Q & A with Daniel Nayeri"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/84030-q-a-with-daniel-nayeri.html). *PublishersWeekly.com*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:4_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:4_6-1) Khuri, Ronny (July 2020). ["Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)"](https://www.booklistonline.com/Everything-Sad-Is-Untrue-A-True-Story-/pid=9734249). *Booklist*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["July 2020"](https://bccb.ischool.illinois.edu/monthly/2020-07/). *Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:5_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:5_8-1) ["Everything Sad Is Untrue"](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/search/books/?q=Everything+Sad+Is+Untrue&sf=t). *Kirkus Reviews*. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:6_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:6_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:6_9-2) ["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"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-64614-000-8). *PublishersWeekly.com*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Writt, Hilary (2020-07-01). ["Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)"](https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=everything-sad-is-untrue-a-true-story). *School Library Journal*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Best Books of 2020: Young Adult"](https://www.bookpage.com/features/25732-best-books-2020-young-adult/). *BookPage*. 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["2020 Blue Ribbons"](https://bccb.ischool.illinois.edu/blueribbons/2020-blue-ribbons/). *Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["The 25 Best Children's Books of 2020"](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/books/review/best-childrens-books.html). *The New York Times*. 2020-12-02. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** NPR. ["Best Books 2021: Books We Love"](https://apps.npr.org/best-books/). *NPR*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Best Books 2020: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly"](https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2020/young-adult). *PublishersWeekly.com*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["25 of our favorite books for kids, tweens and teens in 2020"](https://www.today.com/shop/best-kids-books-t203124). *TODAY.com*. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Gurdon, Meghan Cox (2020-12-10). ["The Best Books of 2020: Children's Books"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-books-of-2020-childrens-books-11607642255). *Wall Street Journal*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0099-9660](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0099-9660). Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020"](https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9743352). *Booklist*. 2021-01-01. Retrieved 2022-01-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Smith, Julia (2021-04-15). ["Top 10 Novels for Tweens: 2021"](https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9747123). *Booklist*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Awards: Hugo Finalists; Christopher Winners, NYPL Young Lions Fiction Shortlist"](https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3964). *Shelf Awareness*. 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Gaetano, Siân (2021-01-28). ["Daniel Nayeri: 2021 Michael L. Printz Award Winner"](https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3911). *Shelf Awareness*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** Gaetano, Siân (2021-03-15). ["Walter Dean Myers Awards"](https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3942). *Shelf Awareness*. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

v t e American Library Association Founders Justin Winsor Charles Ammi Cutter Samuel S. Green James L. Whitney Melvil Dewey Fred B. Perkins Thomas W. Bicknell Notable divisions American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) Library Information Technology Association (LITA) Public Library Association (PLA) Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Magazines and journals American Libraries Booklist Choice College & Research Libraries College & Research Libraries News Public Libraries Reference and User Services Quarterly Young Adult Library Services Literary awards and honors Books for adults Boyd Brody Andrew Carnegie Dartmouth Gleason library history Stonewall For children and young adults Arbuthnot Batchelder Belpré Caldecott Carnegie (video) Geisel King Legacy Newbery Odyssey (audio) Schneider Sibert Stonewall Excellence in Nonfiction Edwards Morris Printz Book lists ALA Notable Books Alex Awards Amazing YA Audiobooks Best YA Books Great Graphic Novels for Teens Outstanding Academic Title Popular YA Paperbacks Quick Picks Rainbow List Outstanding Reference Sources Rise: A Feminist Book Project Related Presidents of the ALA ALA accredited library schools Banned Books Week Freedom to Read Foundation Library Bill of Rights Rainbow Round Table Black Caucus United States v. American Library Ass'n

v t e Michael L. Printz Award 2000: Myers – Monster 2001: Almond – Kit's Wilderness 2002: Na – A Step From Heaven 2003: Chambers – Postcards from No Man's Land 2004: Johnson – The First Part Last 2005: Rosoff – How I Live Now 2006: Green – Looking for Alaska 2007: Yang – American Born Chinese 2008: McCaughrean – The White Darkness 2009: Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road 2010: Bray – Going Bovine 2011: Bacigalupi – Ship Breaker 2012: Whaley – Where Things Come Back 2013: Lake – In Darkness 2014: Sedgwick – Midwinterblood 2015: Nelson – I'll Give You the Sun 2016: Ruby – Bone Gap 2017: Lewis, Aydin, and Powell – March: Book Three 2018: LaCour – We Are Okay 2019: Acevedo – The Poet X 2020: King – Dig 2021: Nayeri – Everything Sad Is Untrue 2022: Boulley – Firekeeper's Daughter 2023: Tahir – All My Rage 2024: King, Anderson, Charlton-Trujillo, Levithan, McCarthy, McLemore, Neri, Reynolds, Ribay, and Sanchez – The Collectors: Stories 2025: Teer, Julia – Brownstone

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Everything Sad Is Untrue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_Sad_Is_Untrue) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_Sad_Is_Untrue?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.