Youth LGBTIQA author
Andrew "A. J." Sass is an American author of children's and young adult fiction, best known for his middle grade contemporary novel, "Ana on the Edge", and his "Time" op-ed discussing transgender and non-binary character representation in youth literature.
Personal life.
Sass grew up in the Midwestern and Southern United States and began training in figure skating as a child. He passed his U.S. Figure Skating Senior Moves in the Field test while in law school, then worked as a technical writer and legal editor while writing creatively on the side. His debut middle grade novel, "Ana on the Edge", was purchased by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
At the age of 33, Sass passed the U.S. Figure Skating Senior Free Skate test, then went on to compete as a member of the Masters synchronized skating team, IceSymmetrics. IceSymmetrics won the bronze medal at the 2018 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships and the silver medal at the 2019 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. Sass also holds test judge appointments with U.S. Figure Skating in Gold Singles and Bronze Ice Dance.
Sass is Jewish and autistic. He describes himself as gay, transmasculine and non-binary, and uses he/him and they/them pronouns.
He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Selected works.
"Ana on the Edge".
Sass' debut novel follows twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning U.S. Juvenile figure skating champion, as Ana navigates old and new friendships, the financial hardships of elite figure skating, and a newly discovered non-binary gender identity. It was published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on October 20, 2020, and received a starred review from "Booklist". "Ana on the Edge" went on to be named a Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020 selection, an American Library Association 2021 Rainbow List Top 10 for Young Readers title, a selection in the "Chicago Review of Books" Notable List of Debut Books by Trans, Non-binary, and Gender Non-conforming Authors, and was named to the New York Public Library's "Favorite Trans, Nonbinary, and GNC Titles of 2020. It also received a favorable review in "The New York Times Book Review".
"Ellen Outside the Lines".
Sass' second novel features Ellen Katz, an autistic thirteen-year-old, who is attempting to regain a long-time friendship on a class trip to Barcelona, Spain. It explores Spanish and Catalan culture, as well as queer and Jewish identity. "Ellen Outside the Lines" released on March 22, 2022, from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
"Camp QUILTBAG".
Co-authored with Nicole Melleby, "Camp QUILTBAG" is a story about twelve-year-old Abigail Rabb and thirteen-year-old Kai Lindquist, who are attending a summer camp for queer youth for vastly different reasons. They make a pact to help themselves settle in at camp, all while navigating their queer identities and a competition pitting cabin against cabin. It was released by Algonquin Young Readers on March 21, 2023. It was named an American Library Association 2024 Rainbow List Top 10 for Young Readers title.
Bibliography.
Novels
Essays
Short stories
Op eds
References.
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