Courtney Sheinmel

Courtney Sheinmel (born 1977 in Palo Alto, California) is the author of over a dozen books for kids and teens. She lives in New York City.

Courtney has one sister, the young adult writer Alyssa Sheinmel, and three stepsiblings.

She graduated with honors from Barnard College (part of Columbia University), and Fordham School of Law. Courtney spent several years as a law firm associate, and on the weekends, she worked on what became her first middle grade novel, My So-Called Family (2008), which was praised for its heartfelt and insightful portrayal of what makes a family. Upon its publication, Courtney left the practice of law and began writing full-time.

The protagonist of her second novel, Positively (2009), was a teenager living with HIV, inspired by Courtney's own longtime involvement with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Courtney continued to delve into unique and sometimes difficult family situations in books like All the Things You Are (2011)and Edgewater (2015). She is also the author of the young readers series Stella Batts, the middle grade series The Kindness Club, and co-author of the upcoming emerging reader series Agnes & Clarabelle.

In addition to writing, Courtney served as a judge on the national level for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and she received a National Scholastic Outstanding Educator Award for her work as a writing instructor at Writopia Lab, a non-profit organization serving kids ages 8–18.