Norma Klein
Norma Klein was an American young adults' book author. She was born, grew up and lived in New York City for most of her life, and studied Russian at Barnard College. She died, after a brief illness, in New York City on April 25, 1989, at the age of 50. She had a husband, Erwin Fleissner, and two daughters.
Klein was best known for her adult novel Sunshine, about a young woman with terminal cancer, which was based upon a true story, and taken from the young woman's tape-recorded diary. She was also well known for her children's novel Mom, the Wolfman and Me about a girl with an unmarried mother. Ms. Klein's work dealt openly with controversial subjects, including racism, homosexuality, adoption, and death.
She wrote many novels for children and young adults including Family Secrets, which has been challenged for inclusion in school libraries, and is ranked at #76 on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books for 1990–1999.
Picture books
Girls Can Be AnythingA Train for Jane
If I Had My Way
Dinosaurs Housewarming Party
Naomi in the Middle
Blue Trees, Red Sky
A Surprise Party for Dinosaur
''Visiting Pamela''
Books for middle readers
Mom, the Wolf Man and MeIt's Not What You Expect
Confessions of an Only Child
Taking Sides
What It's All about
Tomboy
A Honey of a Chimp
Robbie and the Leap Year Blues
Bizou
The Cheerleader
Snapshots
''Now That I Know''
Books for teen readers
HidingIt's Okay If You Don't Love Me
Love is One of the Choices. Two high school seniors from single-parent households, Caroline and Maggie, explore sexuality and the changing role of women in the world. Caroline has a sexual relationship with her chemistry teacher.
Breaking Up
French Postcards
Domestic Arrangements
14 year old Tatiana "Rusty" Engelberg, daughter of a soap opera actress and a television director, seems headed for stardom after a family friend casts her as the lead in a hit movie, which includes a "tasteful" nude scene. Rusty is less concerned with her sudden rise to fame than with her first sexual relationship and her parents' love lives.
Queen of the What Ifs
Beginner's Love
The Swap
Angel Face
Family Secrets
Give and Take
Going Backwards
My Life As a Body
Older Men
That's My Baby
No More Saturday Nights
Learning How to Fall
''Just Friends''
Books for adults
Give Me One Good ReasonLove and other Euphemisms. A collection of early short stories and a short novel.
Sunshine. One of Norma Klein's most popular novels. Based on the true story of a young mother with terminal cancer.
Girls Turn Wives
Coming to Life
Sunshine Christmas
Sunshine Years
Wives and Other Women
Sextet in a Minor. A collection of short stories.
Lovers
Baryshnikov's Nutcracker
American Dreams
''The World As It Is''