Posted on June 9, 2022 at 2:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek
Young-adult literature has suffered a big loss.
The New York Times reports that author Jim Murphy has died at the age of seventy-four.
Murphy made the switch from children's book editor to writer in the late 1970s, beginning with a book about wacky inventions.
But, his obituary notes, he soon drifted into heavier historical topics, sharing important stories from the past in an age-appropriate way that also didn't condescend to readers or whitewash uncomfortable facts.
Two such examples were The Great Fire and The American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793, both of which were named Newbery Honor books.
Read more about Murphy's journey to becoming a writer in his NYT obituary.
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Categories: Today in Books