Hannah V. Sawyerr

Hannah V. Sawyerr
Alma materMorgan State University
Occupations
  • poet
  • novelist
Writing career
LanguageEnglish
GenreYoung-adult fiction

Hannah V. Sawyerr is a Sierra Leonean-American poet and young adult novelist.[1] Her books include All the Fighting Parts (2023) and Truth Is (2025).[2][3]

She received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Morgan State University, followed by a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from The New School.[4] As of 2023, Sawyerr taught English at Loyola Marymount University and lived in Los Angeles, California.[1]

Recognition

In 2016, Sawyerr was named the Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore. She received a national medal at the NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics for her poem "For Girls Growing Into Their Hips". Her poems have been featured on the BBC's World Have Your Say and in the National Education Association's "Do You Hear Us?" campaign.[1]

All the Fighting Parts and Truth Is were well received by critics. In 2023, All the Fighting Parts was a finalist for the Cybils Award for Poetry.[5] The novel's audiobook, narrated by the author, was named one of the best young adult audiobooks of 2023 by Kirkus Reviews.[6] The following year, the novel was named a Walter Dean Myers Award honor book and was a finalist for the William C. Morris Award.[7][8] The American Library Association included it as a top ten pick for their Rise: A Feminist Book Project.[9] The Young Adult Library Services Association included it on their 2024 list of Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers,[10] as well as their 2025 list of Best Fiction for Young Adults.[11]

Truth Is is a Junior Library Guild book.[12] In 2025, it was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature,[13] as well as the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Novel.[14] The American Library Association named it a top ten pick for the 2026 Rise: A Feminist Book Project.[15]

Book Riot, Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly named it one of the best young adult books of the year.[16][17][18]

Books

  • All the Fighting Parts. Abrams. 2023. ISBN 978-1-419-76261-1.
  • Truth Is. Amulet. 2025. ISBN 978-1-4197-7683-0.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "An Indies Introduce Q&A with Hannah V. Sawyerr". American Booksellers Association. September 13, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  2. ↑ Bevington, Elizabeth (October 6, 2023). "All the Fighting Parts". Booklist. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Truth Is by Hannah V Sawyerr". Publishers Weekly. June 5, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Hannah V. Sawyerr". National Book Foundation. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  5. ↑ "CYBILS 2023 Poetry Finalists". Cybils Award. January 1, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Best of 2023: Our Favorite Audiobooks". Kirkus Reviews. December 24, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Awards: Walter Dean Myers Winners". Shelf Awareness . January 18, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  8. ↑ Roback, Diane; Kantor, Emma; Jones, Iyana (January 22, 2024). "Eggers, Harrison, King Win 2024 Newbery, Caldecott, Printz Awards". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on March 30, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Rise: A Feminist Book Project: 2024". Booklist. March 15, 2024. Archived from the original on September 30, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  10. ↑ "2024 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2025". Booklist. March 1, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Truth Is". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  13. ↑ "National Book Awards Finalists". Shelf Awareness. October 8, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  14. ↑ Mendez, Malia (February 18, 2026). "Amy Tan, Ekow Eshun and Michael Connelly among L.A. Times Book Prize honorees and finalists". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  15. ↑ "2026 Rise Book Project presents Top Ten feminist books for young readers". American Library Association. January 21, 2026. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Best Books of 2025". Book Riot. November 19, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Truth Is". Kirkus Reviews. July 3, 2025. Archived from the original on August 1, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Best Books 2025: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
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