Torrey Maldonado (he/him)
“I’ve taught middle school for twenty years where kids will eat you alive if you don’t present how readers describe my books–fast-paced, dynamic, riveting, relatable, and relevant. Maya Angelou says “People will remember how you made them feel” and audiences will happily remember our time together for a long time or for a lifetime.”
Biography
Torrey Maldonado was born and raised in Brooklyn’s Red Hook projects. He has taught in the New York City Public Schools for over twenty-five years. His fast-paced and compelling stories are inspired by his and his students’ experiences.
Torrey’s popular young readers novels include What Lane, which received numerous starred reviews and was cited by Oprah Daily and the New York Times for being essential to discuss racism and allyship; Tight which won the Christopher Award, was an ALA Notable Book, and an NPR and Washington Post Best Book of the Year; Secret Saturdays, his debut novel, which has stayed in print for over ten years; and Hands, his latest which is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, received a starred review from School Library Journal, and is a “Best New Book of 2023.”
Follow Torrey on Twitter
Gallery
Book Torrey
If you’re interested in having Torrey visit your school or attend your event, or if you have a general question about Torrey, please fill out the following form: