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Wendelin Van Draanen

Goodreads Author

Born

Chicago, Illinois, The United States

Website

http://www.wendelinvand.com/

Twitter

WendelinVanD

Genre

Young Adult, Self Help, Children's

Member Since

April 2013

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Wendelin Van Draanen has written more than thirty novels for young readers and teens. She is the author of the 18-book Edgar-winning Sammy Keyes series, and wrote Flipped which was named a Top 100 Children’s Novel for the 21st Century by SLJ, and became a Warner Brothers feature film with Rob Reiner directing. Her novel The Running Dream was awarded ALA’s Schneider Family Award for its portrayal of the disability experience.

Van Draanen's latest book, Hope in the Mail, is part memoir, part writing guided, designed to encourage aspiring writers to pursue their dream.

Van Draanen is also the author of two short chapter-book series. The Gecko & Sticky books, are fun read-alouds, perfect for reluctant readers, and the Shredderman books—featuring ...more

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Combine Editions
Wendelin Van Draanen’s books

Average rating: 4.07 · 217,921 ratings · 21,594 reviews · 48 distinct works • Similar authors

	Flipped really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 126,252 ratings — published 2001 — 69 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Running Dream 4.29 avg rating — 32,491 ratings — published 2011 — 28 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Wild Bird 4.18 avg rating — 7,858 ratings — published 2017 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief (Sammy Keyes, #1) 3.98 avg rating — 6,470 ratings — published 1998 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Runaway 4.11 avg rating — 4,754 ratings — published 2006 — 19 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy (Sammy Keyes, #3) 4.09 avg rating — 2,851 ratings — published 1999 — 31 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man (Sammy Keyes, #2) 4.08 avg rating — 2,794 ratings — published 1998 — 38 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy (Sammy Keyes, #6) 4.10 avg rating — 2,422 ratings — published 2001 — 29 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Secret Identity (Shredderman, #1) by Wendelin Van Draanen (Goodreads Author), Brian Biggs (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator) 3.79 avg rating — 2,496 ratings — published 2004 — 22 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception (Sammy Keyes, #8) 4.19 avg rating — 2,255 ratings — published 2003	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Wendelin Van Draanen…

152 posts
Wendelin Van Draanen's Blog

Creating Hope

Ten years of hope flowed through this box.

It’s been a funny evolution, one that underscores how time,
distance, and a study in perspective can change your view on things. Many of
you already know that it took me a long time to get my first book published.
A long time. And during those years I viewed the mailbox
mounted inside the porch of our rundown little rental with mixed emotions.
Mornings, whe Read more of this blog post »

View more on Wendelin Van Draanen's website »

7 likes · Like • 1 comment • flag

Published on July 18, 2019 11:35

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Series by Wendelin Van Draanen

Sammy Keyes (18 books)
by

Wendelin Van Draanen (Goodreads Author)

4.13 avg rating — 35,597 ratings

Shredderman (4 books)
by

Wendelin Van Draanen (Goodreads Author)

3.87 avg rating — 3,829 ratings

The Gecko and Sticky (4 books)
by

Wendelin Van Draanen (Goodreads Author),

Stephen Gilpin

3.71 avg rating — 435 ratings

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Wendelin’s Recent Updates

Wendelin Draanen liked Jen Nishi's review of The Steps: "Such an awesome twisty book! I just wanted to wrap Ruby up in a blanket and tell her she is safe and loved! Holy crap there’s some messed up family drama in here and a great mystery that had me reading and forgetting everything else!"
21 hours, 36 min ago · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Wendelin Draanen liked Brandy Alegria's review of The Steps: "I was so excited to read this book and it brought me back to the sleuthing that Sammy Keyed would get up to. Wendelin does a fantastic job of making you feel connected to her characters and their situations which allows her to guide you through the s" Read more of this review »
21 hours, 36 min ago · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Wendelin Draanen and 2 other people liked Lydia's review of The Steps: "thoroughly enjoyed this!! it was giving succession (maybe cause I’ve been watching that), but it was also just giving family drama with a young heroine that played perfectly into childhood fantasies which I’m like is probably her go-to, what with Samm" Read more of this review »
21 hours, 36 min ago · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Wendelin Draanen and 1 other person liked Elyse's review of The Peach Rebellion: "The best historical fiction book I’ve ever read. The characters were perfect, and the story made me want to find out more about this time in American history. Absolutely perfect!!!!!🤩 "
Nov 23, 2025 06:44PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van Draanen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van Draanen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Wendelin Draanen made a comment on Mia’s review of Wild Bird ""
Jan 11, 2025 01:36PM · see review
Wendelin Draanen made a comment on kay ❋ ’s review of Wild Bird " OMG I love you! "
Jan 11, 2025 01:35PM · see review
Wendelin Draanen wants to read Hope in the Mail: Reflections on Writing and Life by Wendelin Van Draanen (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 24, 2024 07:21AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hope in the Mail by Wendelin Van Draanen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hope in the Mail by Wendelin Van Draanen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Wendelin Van Draanen (?)

“Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss...." He turned to me. "But every once in a while, you find someone who's iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, Flipped

tags: beauty, ebullience, enthusiasm, individuality, life, people

1463 likes

“My heart stopped. It just stopped beating. And for the first time in my life, I had that feeling. You know, like the world is moving all around you, all beneath you, all inside you, and you're floating. Floating in midair. And the only thing keeping you from drifting away is the other person's eyes. They're connected to yours by some invisible physical force, and they hold you fast while the rest of the world swirls and twirls and falls completely away.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, Flipped

671 likes

“...Next time you're faced with a choice, do the right thing. It hurts everyone less in the long run.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen, Flipped

tags: honor, inspirational, right-and-wrong

615 likes

See all Wendelin Van Draanen's quotes »

Polls

What book should we read in November?

You may write in titles, provided the book is a 2026 Newbery contender and already published.

Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate

23 votes 45.1%

The Enemy's Daughter by Anne Blankman

9 votes 17.6%

The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen

9 votes 17.6%

How to Draw a Secret: A Graphic Novel by Cindy Chang

7 votes 13.7%

The Boy Who Lived in a Shell: Snippets for Wandering Minds by John Himmelman

1 vote 2.0%

On Guard!: A Marshall Middle School Graphic Novel by Cassidy Wasserman

1 vote 2.0%

THE UNEXPECTED LIVES OF ORDINARY GIRLS by J Anderson Coats (write-in)

1 vote 2.0%

51 total votes

2 comments

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