Gale believes that the books’ overall drawing power lies in a premise he calls “brilliant.” In Shusterman’s view, “I think it’s the authenticity of the characters as real people in ...

Named after his grandmother, Nechemya (meaning “comforted by G-d”), Shusterman grew up an only child in Brooklyn. He regularly visited his Aunt Millie and her vast collection of books.

The winners of the 66th National Book Awards were announced on November ... Coates (Nonfiction), Robin Coste Lewis (Poetry), and Neal Shusterman (Young People’s Literature).