Ellen Oh

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About Ellen Oh
Ellen Oh is an award winning author of middle grade and YA books such as Finding Junie Kim, The Dragon Egg Princess, The Spirit Hunters series (Books 1, 2, and 3), and the Prophecy trilogy (Prophecy, Warrior, and King). She is also the editor of WNDB’s middle grade anthology Flying Lessons and Other Stories, and the YA anthology A Thousand Beginnings and Endings. Ellen is a founding member of We Need Diverse Books (WNDB), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in children's literature. Originally from New York City, Ellen now lives in Rockville, Maryland, with her husband, three children, two dogs, and has yet to satisfy her quest for a decent bagel. You can visit her online at www.ellenoh.com.
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Books By Ellen Oh
For fans of Inside Out and Back Again and Amina’s Voice comes a breathtaking story of family, hope, and survival from Ellen Oh, cofounder of We Need Diverse Books. When Junie Kim is faced with middle school racism, she learns of her grandparents’ extraordinary strength and finds her voice. Inspired by her mother’s real-life experiences during the Korean War, Oh’s characters are real and riveting.
“Both unique and universal, timely and timeless.” —Padma Venkatraman, Walter Award-winning author of The Bridge Home
"A moving story that highlights how to find courage in the face of unspeakable hardship." —Hena Khan, award-winning author of Amina’s Voice
"Junie discovers where she comes from and gains the courage to make a difference in the future." —Wendy Wan-Long Shang, award-winning author of The Great Wall of Lucy Wu
Junie Kim just wants to fit in. So she keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. But when racist graffiti appears at her middle school, Junie must decide between staying silent or speaking out.
Then Junie’s history teacher assigns a project and Junie decides to interview her grandparents, learning about their unbelievable experiences as kids during the Korean War. Junie comes to admire her grandma’s fierce determination to overcome impossible odds, and her grandpa’s unwavering compassion during wartime. And as racism becomes more pervasive at school, Junie taps into the strength of her ancestors and finds the courage to do what is right.
Finding Junie Kim is a reminder that within all of us lies the power to overcome hardship and emerge triumphant.
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book
A Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year
Included in NPR’s 2021 Books We Love List
2021 Nerdy Award Winner
The riveting conclusion to the acclaimed Spirit Hunters series!
We Need Diverse Books cofounder Ellen Oh delivers the final book in her middle grade series Spirit Hunters, a gripping mystery and thrilling adventure, starring a Korean-American heroine and a diverse cast of characters.
Harper is dealing with too many new changes in her house. Her cousin, Leo, is now living with them; her sister, Kelly, has started working at a local makeup store, Jeune; and Harper's spirit hunter abilities have grown increasingly more powerful and uncontrollable, making her a target for possession.
But when Harper and Dayo uncover a dangerous plot to steal youth from millions of innocent people, Harper must use all her powers to destroy an ancient evil and save her sister.
Can our intrepid spirit hunters rescue Kelly before it’s too late?
A spellbinding, spooky, middle grade series, perfect for Halloween!
Don't miss the first two thrilling books in this series from Ellen Oh:
- Spirit Hunters
- Spirit Hunters #2: The Island of Monsters
The thrilling sequel to the Texas Bluebonnet Award-nominated Spirit Hunters!
We Need Diverse Books founder Ellen Oh delivers the next haunting tale in her acclaimed middle grade series Spirit Hunters, a mix of captivating mystery and chilling ghost story.
The perfect spooky read for Halloween, this pulse-pounding adventure will leave you shocked at every twist.
Harper Raine faces new challenges ahead when her parents take the whole family to a remote tropical island for vacation. As Harper starts to have visions of the resort’s history of disappearances and discovers more about the island’s dark and fabled past, she must use her newly acquired spirit hunting talents to save everyone on the island from murderous spirits on the attack.
An exciting and spooky middle grade series, perfect for Halloween reads.
“Oh has crafted a truly chilling middle grade horror novel that will grab readers’ imaginations.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Even more impressive than the shiver factor is the way the author skillfully uses the compelling premise to present a strong, consistent message of not rejecting what you don’t understand.” —Booklist (starred review)
“This mystery thriller infused with diverse characters and intriguing themes will appeal to horror fans and to reluctant readers who enjoy a good scare.” —School Library Journal
We Need Diverse Books founder Ellen Oh returns with Spirit Hunters, a high-stakes middle grade mystery series about Harper Raine, the new seventh grader in town who must face down the dangerous ghosts haunting her younger brother.
A riveting ghost story and captivating adventure, this tale will have you guessing at every turn!
Harper doesn’t trust her new home from the moment she steps inside, and the rumors are that the Raine family’s new house is haunted. Harper isn’t sure she believes those rumors, until her younger brother, Michael, starts acting strangely.
The whole atmosphere gives Harper a sense of déjà vu, but she can’t remember why. She knows that the memories she’s blocking will help make sense of her brother’s behavior and the strange and threatening sensations she feels in this house, but will she be able to put the pieces together in time?
"Will resonate with any kid who's ever felt different—which is to say, every kid." —Time
Great stories take flight in this adventurous middle-grade anthology crafted by ten of the most recognizable and diverse authors writing today. Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander delivers a story in-verse about a boy who just might have magical powers; National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson spins a tale of friendship against all odds; and Meg Medina uses wet paint to color in one girl’s world with a short story that inspired her Newbery award-winner Merci Suárez Changes Gear. Plus, seven more bold voices that bring this collection to new heights with tales that challenge, inspire, and celebrate the unique talents within us all.
AUTHORS INCLUDE: Kwame Alexander, Kelly J. Baptist, Soman Chainani, Matt de la Peña, Tim Federle, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Walter Dean Myers, Tim Tingle, Jacqueline Woodson
“There’s plenty of magic in this collection to go around.” —Booklist, Starred
“A natural for middle school classrooms and libraries.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred
“Inclusive, authentic, and eminently readable.” —School Library Journal, Starred
“Thought provoking and wide-ranging . . . should not be missed.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred
“Read more books by these authors.” —The Bulletin, Starred
Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings: these are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries.
Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.
Compiled by We Need Diverse Books’s Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, the authors included in this exquisite collection are: Renée Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, and Alyssa Wong.
A mountain loses her heart. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. A young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place.
From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish. For fans of Neil Gaiman’s Unnatural Creatures and Ameriie’s New York Times–bestselling Because You Love to Hate Me.
A powerful and engaging exploration of contemporary Asian American identity through interwoven stories set in a teeming Chicago airport, written by award-winning and bestselling East and Southeast Asian American authors including Linda Sue Park, Grace Lin, Erin Entrada Kelly, Traci Chee, and Ellen Oh. Flying Lessons meets Black Boy Joy.
“The individual narratives are consistently engaging and rewarding, and together they form a unique collection of interconnected stories about young, contemporary Asian American characters.”—Booklist, Starred Review
An incident at a TSA security check point sows chaos and rumors, creating a chain of events that impacts twelve young Asian Americans in a crowded and restless airport. As their disrupted journeys crisscross and collide, they encounter fellow travelers—some helpful, some hostile—as they discover the challenges of friendship, the power of courage, the importance of the right word at the right time, and the unexpected significance of a blue Stratocaster electric guitar.
Twelve powerhouse Asian American authors explore themes of identity and belonging in the entwined experiences of young people whose family roots may extend to East and Southeast Asia, but who are themselves distinctly American.
Written by Linda Sue Park, Erin Entrada Kelly, Grace Lin, Traci Chee, Mike Chen, Meredith Ireland, Mike Jung, Minh Le, Ellen Oh, Randy Ribay, Christina Soontornvat, and Susan Tan, and edited by Ellen Oh.
For fans of bestselling author Marie Lu comes this heart-stopping first book in Ellen Oh’s trilogy about the greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms . . . a girl with yellow eyes. Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this incredible debut!
Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and she’s also the prince’s bodyguard. A demon slayer and an outcast, she’s hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And she’s their only hope. . . .
Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King’s prophecy, but the legendary lost ruby treasure just might be the true key to victory. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, an evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost, while raising a prince into a king.
Perfect for fans of Wing & Claw, this must-have middle grade novel is from We Need Diverse Books cofounder Ellen Oh!
“Filled with strange terrains, creatures, and magic, this is an enthralling read!”—Soman Chainani, author of the New York Times bestselling School for Good and Evil series
"A rich and wonderfully imagined story about the many ways young people can be powerful and the tremendous benefits of awakening your inner dragon." —Annie Ursu, National Book Award for Young People’s Literature nominee for The Real Boy
“By drawing inspiration from Korean lore and culture, Ellen Oh is helping to reinvigorate the fantasy genre. Readers will love The Dragon Egg Princess for its humor, inventive magic, and thrilling action!” —Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author
In a kingdom filled with magic, Jiho Park and his family are an anomaly—magic doesn’t affect them.
Jiho comes from a long line of forest rangers who protect the Kidahara—an ancient and mysterious wood that is home to powerful supernatural creatures. But Jiho wants nothing to do with the dangerous forest.
Five years ago, his father walked into the Kidahara and disappeared. Just like the young Princess Koko, the only daughter of the kingdom’s royal family. Jiho knows better than anyone else the horrors that live deep in the magical forest and how those who go in never come back.
Now the forest is in danger from foreign forces that want to destroy it, and a long-forgotten evil that’s been lurking deep in the Kidahara for centuries finally begins to awaken. Can a magic-less boy, a fierce bandit leader, and a lost princess join forces and save their worlds before it’s too late?
Massachusetts Children’s Book Award Nominee
King by Ellen Oh, founder of #WeNeedDiverseBooks, will be loved by fans of such fantasy and action/adventure book as Kristin Cashore's Graceling, Tamora Pierce's Tortall novels, and Marie Lu's Legend series.
This thrilling and romantic conclusion to the Prophecy series brings Kira her final quest. Girl warrior, demon slayer, tiger spirit of the yellow eyes—Kira is one captivating heroine. Author Marie Lu raved, "After finishing my journey with Kira, all I wanted was more!" Here is the much-anticipated final installment in the Prophecy series!
Kira, once an outcast in her home village of Hansong, is now the only one with the power to save her kingdom. All eyes are on her. Kira braves a sea of tigers and battles armies of demons as she learns to trust herself, the romantic feelings for Jaewon that are growing within her, and the destiny that must be hers.
Warrior by Ellen Oh, founder of #WeNeedDiverseBooks, will appeal to action-fantasy fans of Ranger's Apprentice, Eon, and Marie Lu's Legend series! With a strong heroine, romantic intrigue, and mythical creatures, such as a nine-tailed fox demon and a goblin army, Kira, the yellow-eyed demon slayer who protected her kingdom in Prophecy, is back—and her dramatic quest is far from over.
Kira has valiantly protected her kingdom—and the crown prince—and is certain she will find the second treasure needed to fulfill the Dragon King's prophecy. After finishing Ellen's first novel, Prophecy, School Library Journal said they were "ready for a sequel." Well . . . here it is! Filled with ancient lore and fast-paced excitement, this page-turning series is one riveting adventure!