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Kerry O'Malley Cerra

Goodreads Author

Website

http://www.kerryomalleycerra.com

Twitter

kerryocerra

Genre

Children's, Historical Fiction, Children's

Member Since

November 2009

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/kerryocerra

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Kerry O'Malley Cerra is an award-winning author of middle-grade books and picture books.

Her first novel, Just a Drop of Water, was published on September 2, 2014, by Sky Pony Press. It won a Florida Book Award, the Crystal Kite Award, and was named to VOYA's Top Shelf Fiction for Middle Readers' 2014 list. In addition, the book was a finalist for the 2015-2016 Maine Student Book Award, the 2017-2018 Garden State Teen Book Award (New Jersey), the 2016-2017 Truman Award list (Missouri), and the 2018 Nene Award (Hawaii). It won runner-up for the 2016-2017 Magnolia Award (Mississippi).

Her second novel, Hear Me (Sept. 6, 2022, Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing), is based on the author's own hearing loss/deaf experience. This cont Kerry O'Malley Cerra is an award-winning author of middle-grade books and picture books.

Her first novel, Just a Drop of Water, was published on September 2, 2014, by Sky Pony Press. It won a Florida Book Award, the Crystal Kite Award, and was named to VOYA's Top Shelf Fiction for Middle Readers' 2014 list. In addition, the book was a finalist for the 2015-2016 Maine Student Book Award, the 2017-2018 Garden State Teen Book Award (New Jersey), the 2016-2017 Truman Award list (Missouri), and the 2018 Nene Award (Hawaii). It won runner-up for the 2016-2017 Magnolia Award (Mississippi).

Her second novel, Hear Me (Sept. 6, 2022, Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing), is based on the author's own hearing loss/deaf experience. This contemporary middle-grade novel follows 12-year-old Rayne, who, at odds with her parents over her sudden hearing loss and looming cochlear implant surgery, sets off on a journey where she discovers that even though her ears may be broken, she is not. This book is a 2024-2025 Sunshine State Young Reader Award book.

Her novel, Make a Little Wave (Oct 1, 2024, Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing), won both a Florida Book Award and was named a 2025 honor book for the national Green Earth Book Award. This story follows Sav, who, once learning about the horrific act of shark finning, sets out to stop a local restaurant from serving shark fin soup. Only things get super messy as Sav realizes the ins and outs of being an activist. Eventually, she learns to use her voice to stand up for the sharks, becoming a true eco-warrior. The scientific note that precedes the story is written by Kylie Cerra, the author's daughter, a marine biologist with a concentration in shark studies.

Stay tuned for her forthcoming nonfiction picture book, The Gallaudet Eleven: The Story of NASA's Deaf Bioastronauts (March 31, 2026, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers). This work tells the story of eleven deaf men and how they helped America and NASA win the Space Race. It's a Deaf story by a deaf author with pictures by a deaf illustrator--a very cool trifecta!

Kerry’s work has received praise from The New York Times, Kirkus, School Library Journal, Booklist, VOYA, and the Horn Book Guide calling her stories moving, perceptive, well-developed, and woven with an expert hand. A deaf author herself (who now hears with the help of one cochlear implant), she's passionate about books that depict d/Deaf and/or hearing loss experiences for children.

Kerry holds a degree in Social Science Education from the University of South Florida and only recently left her job as a high school media specialist/librarian (and a social studies teacher long before that) to return to writing full-time. She continues to use her teaching skills in author presentations at schools across the country.

Though she'll always consider South Jersey/Philly her home, she currently lives in Florida with her husband and the cutest rescue dog ever. ...more

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Average rating: 4.15 · 1,362 ratings · 320 reviews · 6 distinct works • Similar authors

	Just a Drop of Water 4.08 avg rating — 878 ratings — published 2014 — 7 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
	Hear Me 4.25 avg rating — 420 ratings — published 2022 — 8 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
	Make a Little Wave 4.43 avg rating — 63 ratings — 2 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 Gallaudet Eleven: The Story of NASA's Deaf Bioastronauts by Kerry O'Malley Cerra (Goodreads Author), Kristina Gehrmann (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	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
	Hear Me Lib/E 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	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
	Hear Me: Library Edition by Kerry O'Malley Cerra (Goodreads Author), Caitlin Davies (Narrator) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	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

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Shark Week Contest!

Celebrate Shark Week with an Epic Contest!

If you’re like me, the movie “Jaws” likely made you fear the ocean for all eternity. I watched through slatted fingers and vowed never to go into the ocean again. But much later, my daughter took an interest in sharks and eventually majored in marine science—traveling the world to work with sharks. She taught me just how misunderstood they are, not to

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Kerry Cerra rated a book it was amazing The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (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 29, 2025 11:31AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Correspondent by Virginia Evans <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kerry Cerra has read Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan	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 20, 2025 06:32PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kerry Cerra finished reading The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Fiction	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 19, 2025 09:58AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kerry Cerra has read The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Fiction	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 19, 2025 09:57AM · like
Kerry Cerra has read These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Fiction	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 19, 2025 09:55AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kerry Cerra has read The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1) by Richard Osman	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 19, 2025 09:53AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kerry Cerra has read The Last Noel by Michael Malone	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 19, 2025 09:45AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Last Noel by Michael Malone. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Last Noel by Michael Malone <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kerry Cerra has read Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson by Ann E. Burg (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
Nov 29, 2025 07:12PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Force of Nature by Ann E. Burg. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Force of Nature by Ann E. Burg <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kerry Cerra has read Games Untold: An Inheritance Games Collection by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (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
Nov 29, 2025 07:07PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kerry Cerra has read After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid (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
Nov 29, 2025 07:05PM · like

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Quotes by Kerry O'Malley Cerra (?)

“Do you ever wish you could hear?"
"I can hear. I just listen differently than you."
hardcover page 270”
― Kerry O'Malley Cerra, Hear Me

tags: asl, beach, deaf, disability, disability-quotes, hard-of-hearing, middle-grade, ownvoices, sign-language, surfing

1 likes

“Mr. Lazar says, "Hearing loss is just that, a loss. It can be just as traumatic as losing a loved one or a pet, and it takes time to move on. So I wonder, have you all really given yourselves, and especially Rayne, enough time to grieve her loss?"
Hardcopy pg. 287”
― Kerry O'Malley Cerra, Hear Me

tags: asl, deaf, deaf-school, friendship, grief, hard-of-hearing, hearing-loss, middle-school, own-voices, sign-language

1 likes

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
WACKY READING CHA...: June 2015 Mini Challenge	71	69	Aug 17, 2015 08:44AM
All Challenges Al...: 2015 Cover Scavenger Hunt	33	78	Apr 23, 2016 04:11PM
WACKY READING CHA...: Favorite Actor/Actress Challenge	138	152	Jun 03, 2017 07:59AM
WACKY READING CHA...: Summer Fun Seasonal Challenge	167	131	Jun 20, 2017 06:51AM
Mid-Continent Pub...: New Kit Keeper Titles (Jan - Jun 2017)	6	55	Jun 30, 2017 06:14AM
WACKY READING CHA...: June 2015 Word Search	98	74	Dec 14, 2020 07:16AM
WACKY READING CHA...: TBR Challenge: 52 Books in 52 Weeks	334	243	Apr 10, 2021 10:48AM
WACKY READING CHA...: Candlelight Challenge	285	256	May 06, 2023 09:05PM
Crazy Challenge C...: Yahtzee! / 2015	517	256	Jul 18, 2023 07:56PM

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Kerry’s Quotes

“But just because she's not helpless doesn't mean she doesn't need help.”
― Amy Reed, The Nowhere Girls

46 likes

“Do you ever wish you could hear?"
"I can hear. I just listen differently than you."
hardcover page 270”
― Kerry O'Malley Cerra, Hear Me

tags: asl, beach, deaf, disability, disability-quotes, hard-of-hearing, middle-grade, ownvoices, sign-language, surfing

1 likes

tags: asl, deaf, deaf-school, friendship, grief, hard-of-hearing, hearing-loss, middle-school, own-voices, sign-language

1 likes

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