J. Elle is an author of children's and young adult fiction.

Early life

Elle grew up in Third Ward neighborhood of Houston. ^[1] She has worked as a preschool, middle school, and high school educator. Elle is Black. ^[2]

Writing career

Her young adult fantasy novel Wings of Ebony (2020), the first book in a duology of the same name, was a New York Times bestseller. ^{[3] [4]} The Third Ward neighborhood where she grew up was the model for the East Row neighborhood in the book. ^[2] Wings of Ebony was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for outstanding literary work for youth/teens in 2022. ^{[5] [6]} Daniel Jose Older reviewed the book on National Public Radio. ^[7] It was the 2022 First Novelist honor book of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. ^[8] Kirkus Reviews wrote, "debut author Elle’s characters shine with determination and heart". ^[9] Publishers Weekly wrote that it was a "poignant debut" and that "Elle relentlessly highlights the ancestral trauma of genocide, colonialism, and institutional racism that Black people endure to this day". ^[10] School Library Journal wrote that it was a "high-stakes debut" and "#BlackGirlMagic at its most earnest, teaching readers that strength is nothing to apologize for". ^[11]

Ashes of Gold (2022), the second book in the Wings of Ebony duology, received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, which wrote, "Elle’s thrilling conclusion to the Wings of Ebony duology delivers a hefty punch". ^[12]

Elle's A Taste of Magic (2022) was called a "fast-paced, heartfelt story deliciously blends realism with the whimsy of the mystical" by Kirkus Reviews. ^[13] Elle has said that her grandmother was an inspiration for the book. ^[14] Publishers Weekly called it a "whimsical culinary fantasy" and praised Elle for "a story of familial love and friendship and tops it with pure culinary enthusiasm". ^[15] Booklist referred to it as a "warm food- and family-centered story". ^[16]

In 2023, Elle's novelization of Disney's live-action version of The Little Mermaid (2023) was published. ^{[17] [18]}

Works

• A Taste of Magic. Bloomsbury. 2022. ISBN  978-1-5476-0671-9.
• The Little Mermaid: Against the Tide. Disney Press. 2023. ISBN  9781368077224.
• House of Marionne. Penguin Random House. 2023. ISBN  9780593527702.

Wings of Ebony duology

• Wings of Ebony. Simon & Schuster. 2020. ISBN  978-1-5344-7068-2.
• Ashes of Gold. Simon & Schuster. 2022. ISBN  978-1-5344-7070-5.

References

External links

• Official website
• J. Elle on Goodreads
• Interview with Women's Media Center