Martin W. Sandler

Martin W. Sandler is an American historian, writer and teacher, the author of more than 50 books about American history and photography. Notable works include Secret Subway, The Impossible Rescue, Imprisoned, How the Beatles Changed the World, Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation, The Whydah, Apollo 8, 1919, and Race Through the Skies. Among other honors, he won the 2019 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

Early life and education

Sandler was born February 11, 1933, in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
He attended Providence College on a baseball scholarship, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in history; he later earned a Master of Arts in history from Brown University.

Career

Sandler worked as a history and English teacher and baseball coach at Quincy Central Junior High School in Quincy, MA and head of school at Stowe Preparatory Academy in Stowe, Vt. He subsequently taught American Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Smith College. While a teacher, Sandler endeavored to revitalize the teaching of secondary-school history with a 1971 textbook, The People Make a Nation, that called on students to draw conclusions about history from examining and interpreting primary sources, instead of memorizing facts and narratives.

Awards and honors

Eleven of Sander's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Vaqueros, America Through the Lens, Secret Subway, The Impossible Rescue, How the Beatles Changed the World, Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation, The Whydah, Apollo 8, Race Through the Skies, Picturing a Nation, and Shipwrecked!.
Sandler's books have regularly been included on year-end lists:

In 1979, The Story of American Photography was named one of the year's best nonfiction children's books The Horn Book Magazine.
In 2012, The Impossible Rescue was named one of the year's best children's books by Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal. The following year, Bank Street College of Education included it on their list of the best history books for children ages 12-14.
In 2012, Through the Lens was named a history book of "outstanding merit" for children ages 9-12 by Bank Street College of Education.
In 2016, Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation was named one of the year's best history books for children ages 14 and up by Bank Street College of Education.
In 2017, The Whydah was named one of the year's best nonfiction children's books by New York Public Library and School Library Journal. The following year, the Association for Library Service to Children named it among the year's Notable Children's Books, and Bank Street College of Education named it a history book of "outstanding merit" for children ages 12-14.
In 2019, 1919 was named one of the year's best children's books by The Washington Post. The following year, Bank Street College of Education named it one of the year's best history books for children ages 14 and older.
In 2019, Apollo 8 was named a history book of "outstanding merit" for children ages 12-14 by Bank Street College of Education.
In 2021, Picturing a Nation was included on Booklist's list of the year's "Top 10 Arts Books for Youth". The following year, Bank Street College of Education named a history book of "outstanding merit" for children ages 12-14 by.
In 2023, Shipwrecked! was named one of the year's best children's books by the NYPL. The following year, Bank Street College of Education named Shipwrecked! one of the year's best history books for children ages 12-24.

Title	Year	Award	Result
1919	2019	Cybils Award for Junior High Nonfiction	Finalist
1919	2019	National Book Award for Young People's Literature	Winner
1919	2020	Orbis Pictus Award	Honor
1919	2020	YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction	Nominee
Apollo 8	2018	Cybils Award for Junior High Nonfiction	Finalist
Imprisoned	2013	Cybils Award for Young Adult Nonfiction	Winner
Imprisoned	2014	YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction	Finalist
'	2013	YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction	Nominee
Lincoln Through the Lens	2008	Cybils Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Nonfiction	Finalist
Race Through the Skies	2021	YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction	Nominee
Secret Subway	2010	YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction	Finalist
Shipwrecked	2024	Sibert Medal	Honor
'	2018	YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction	Finalist
'	2019	Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award	Nominee
'	2019	Cybils Award for Junior High Nonfiction	Winner

Selected publications

Sole author

With Others

with Edwin C. Rozwenc and Edward C. Martin, The People Make a A Nation, Boston: Allyn and Bacon