BIO:

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Sophia Gholz is an award-winning children's book author, music lover, magic seeker and avid reader. Sophia enjoys writing fiction with humor and heart. When writing nonfiction, she pulls on her love of science and her strong family background in ecology. Since 2017, Sophia has helped oversee the Henry L. Gholz SEEDS National Field Trip Endowment for The Ecological Society of America, funding ecological field experiences for students from diverse backgrounds. Previously, Sophia worked as an advertising copywriter and made a career working with visual artists in New York City. Sophia is the author of The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True Story of Jadav Payeng, a NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book and Florida State Book Award gold medalist. Jack Horner, Dinosaur Hunter!, This is Your World: The Story of Bob Ross, Bug on the Rug , A History of Toilet Paper (And Other Potty Tools) and more. When she’s not writing from her home base in Florida, you can find Sophia reading, visiting schools or exploring the great outdoors with her family.

For more, visit:

 

Website: www.SophiaGholz.com

Twitter: @SophiaGholz

Instagram: @SophiaGholz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDQwIwDuBuZrGNVqTCcIKlg

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/sophiagholzauthor

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BOOKS:

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• SWISH! The Wonders of the Wind

      illustrated by Frances Ives (Reycraft, 2026)

 

• ARLO

      illustrated by MacKenzie Haley (Sleeping Bear Press, 2025)

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• Bear at the Fair

      illustrated by Susan Batori (Sleeping Bear Press, 2024)

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• A History of Toilet Paper (and Other Potty Tools)

      illustrated by Xiana Teimoy (Running Press Kids/Hachette, 2022)

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• Bug on the Rug

      illustrated by Susan Batori (Sleeping Bear Press, 2022)

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• Jack Horner, Dinosaur Hunter!

      illustrated by David Shephard (Sleeping Bear Press, 2021)

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• This is Your World: The Story of Bob Ross

      illustrated by Robin Boyden (Running Press Kids/Hachette, 2021)

 

• The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True Story of Jadav Payeng

      illustrated by Kayla Harren (Sleeping Bear Press, 2019)​​​

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AWARDS:

• North Carolina Book Award Shortlist, 2022-23

• Sunshine State Young Reader Award Jr (SSYRA), 2023-24 Shortlist

• Cybils Awards Nominee 2022, 2023

• Kentucky Association of School Librarians KBA Award (K-2) Shortlist, 2022-23

• Bookstagang Best of Shortlist, 2021-22

• Green Earth Book Award Honor 2020

• SCBWI Crystal Kite Award Winner

• Keystone to Reading Book Award Shortlist 2020-2021, Intermediate Books

• Florida State Book Award Gold Medal Young Children's Literature

• South Carolina Book Award Nominee 2021-22

• Nile Delta Book Award winner 2021-22

• Notable Social Studies Trade Book, Children’s Book Council and NCSS

• Eureka! Nonfiction Children's Book Honor Award, California Reading Association

• Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award (SONWA) Winner

• CBHL Annual Literature Award Nominee/Shortlist 2020

• RWR Best Book of 2019, Most Inspirational Books category

• Florida SCBWI Rising Kite Award 2018, Fiction Picture Book

• Florida SCBWI Rising Kite Award 2017, Nonfiction

• 2020 Martin Luther King "Living the Dream" Book Award Shortlist

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SELECT REVIEWS:

• Author TV Appearance on The Buzz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1_mZAPaK1o

• *Starred review* "Gholz's respect for Jadav's accomplishments shines through in her endearing presentation of his life...The Boy Who Grew a Forest celebrates an incredible man and arouses in its audience a respect for nature that may motivate them to follow in Jadav's footsteps. Superb." —Shelf Awareness, (The Boy Who Grew a Forest)

• "Payeng’s story is eloquently told and beautifully illustrated. It will inspire readers to recognize the power of individual determination..." — Booklist, (The Boy Who Grew a Forest)

• "...the story provides young children with a real-life example of the connections between man and nature." — Kirkus

• "An inspiring example of how disabilities don't have to close doors to scientific careers or other dreams."

• — School Library Journal, (Jack Horner, Dinosaur Hunter!)

• "This picture book biography of world-renowned paleontologist Jack Horner not only details Horner’s passion to discover and study dinosaurs, but also encourages children to persevere when they face challenges...this title will be grabbed off the shelf for recreational reading alone."

• —School Library Connection, (Jack Horner, Dinosaur Hunter!)

• "This message to kids, in a world increasingly pressuring them to 'figure out' what they want to be, is such a positive one. No matter what path we are on, the colours of our passion will reveal themselves to us and we will find out way..." — The Small Protagonist, (This is Your World)

• "...Gholz captures the magic of the artist’s lulling, lilting tone...there is comfort in seeing a gentle soul gradually find his voice and his calling through art and community..." — Publisher's Weekly, (This is Your World)

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For additional press, updates and reviews, visit: https://www.sophiagholz.com/news

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Sophia is represented by the Liza Royce Agency, liza@lizaroyce.com