David Aretha
Editor of Twisted Key’s popular Quest Chasers series, David Aretha has authored more than 90 books and edited nearly 200 books for 30 publishers, including Random House, HarperCollins, St. Martin’s Press, and Scholastic. His books have sold in excess of $20 million and earned numerous honors, including two Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards. In 2014, David was one of four authors, including Mitch Albom, to win a Wilbur Award.
David is available for hire, including: line editing, copyediting, content editing, developmental editing, proofreading, and query letters. He specializes in fiction, including novels, young adult, and children’s, as well as nonfiction, including memoirs, history, sports, biographies, military, and politics.
Recent Awards
2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award
Earned a Silver Medal for Multicultural Nonfiction for Malala Yousafzai and the Girls of Pakistan.
2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award
Earned a Bronze Medal for Nonfiction for Martin Luther King Jr. and the 1963 March on Washington.
2014 Wilbur Award
One of four authors (along with Mitch Albom) to win a Wilbur Award, which recognizes “the work of individuals as they communicate about religion issues, values and themes with professionalism, fairness and honesty.” The honor was for the book Malala Yousafzai and the Girls of Pakistan.
2014 Booklist Top Ten Biographies for Youth
Honored for Malala Yousafzai and the Girls of Pakistan
Books Authored by David Aretha
Morgan Reynolds Publishing
Malala Yousafzai and the Girls of Pakistan (2014)
Sabotage, Sedition and Sundry Acts of Rebellion (2014)
The Middle Passage (2013)
Mitt Romney (2012)
Brown v. Board of Education (2012)
Martin Luther King Jr. and the 1963 March on Washington (2012)
Malcolm X (2012)
With All Deliberate Speed (2011)
The Black Power Movement (2011)
No Compromise: The Story of Harvey Milk (2009)
Sit-ins and Freedom Rides (2009)
Montgomery Bus Boycott (2008)
Nazi Genocide (pending)
Selma Voting Rights Movement (2007)
The Murder of Emmett Till (2007)
The Scottsboro Boys (2007)
Freedom Summer (2007)
ABDO
Eminem (2012)
Amy Winehouse (2012)
Chelsea House
Donald Trump (2016)
LeBron James (2016)
Alex Rodriguez (2013)
Magic Johnson (2010)
Jefferson Davis (2009)
Tiki Barber (2008)
Scholastic (Franklin Watts)
On the Rocks (teen alcoholism) (2006)
Bearport Publishing
Joe Flacco (2015)
Colin Kaepernick (2015)
12 Story Library
12 Reasons to Love the Detroit Tigers (2016)
Amicus Publishing
Superstars of the Chicago Bulls (2015)
Enslow Publishers
When Dogs Smile (2017)
Jose Altuve (2017)
Aaron Rodgers (2017)
Ichiro Suzuki (2016)
Top 10 Hitters in Baseball (2016)
Top 10 Pitchers in Baseball (2016)
Top 10 Moments in Baseball (2016)
Top 10 Teams in Baseball (2016)
Top 10 Quarterbacks in Football (2016)
Top 10 Games in Football (2016)
Top 10 Craziest Plays in Football (2016)
Top 10 Teams in Football (2016)
Top 10 Shooters and Scorers in Basketball (2016)
Top 10 Towers of Power in Basketball (2016)
Top 10 Dunkers in Basketball (2016)
Top 10 Moments in Basketball (2016)
A HALL Lot of Trouble at Cooperstown: Baseball Geeks Adventures (2014)
Foul Ball Frame-Up at Wrigley Field: Baseball Geeks Adventures (2014)
The Treasure Hunt Stunt at Fenway Park: Baseball Geeks Adventures (2014)
Bossing the Bronx Bombers at Yankee Stadium: Baseball Geeks Adventures (2014)
The Story of the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement in Photographs (2014)
The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Photographs (2014)
The Story of the Selma Voting Rights Marches in Photographs (2014)
The Story of the Freedom Rides in Photographs (2014)
The Story of the Little Rock Nine in Photographs (2014)
The Story of the March on Washington in Photographs (2014)
Rounding Third, Heading Home! (fiction, 2012)
African American Rock and Soul Performers (2012)
25 Baseball Tips & Tricks (2011)
La Salle (2008)
Magellan (2008)
Yellowstone National Park (2008)
Glacier National Park (2008)
Denali National Park (2008)
New York Yankees (2007)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2007)
Dallas Cowboys (2007)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2007)
Pittsburgh Steelers (2007)
Israel: In the News (2006)
Lebanon: In the News (2006)
California Gold Rush (2006)
Methamphetamine and Amphetamine (2005)
Cocaine and Crack (2005)
Ecstasy and Other Party Drugs (2005)
Steroids and Other Performance-Enhancing Drugs (2005)
Inhalants (2005)
Discovering Asia’s Land, People, and Wildlife (2004)
Michigan (2003)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football Team (2001)
Detroit Pistons Basketball Team (2001)
Michigan Wolverines Football Team (1999)
Seattle SuperSonics Basketball Team (1999)
Montreal Canadiens Hockey Team (1998)
Books Cowritten by David Aretha
HarperCollins
Yankee Stadium: A Tribute (also wrote the script for the book’s DVD documentary, which was narrated by Reggie Jackson) (2008)
Lyons Press
Ali in Action (wrote the script for the book’s DVD documentary, which was narrated by Bert Sugar) (2008)
Random House
Reel Baseball (wrote the script for the book’s DVD documentary, which was narrated by Joe Garagiola) (2006)
The Sporting News
Grudges, Guts and Glory (wrote half of the script for the book’s DVD documentary) (2006)
Warner Books
Darkhorses and Underdogs (wrote half of the script for the book’s DVD documentary, which was narrated by Jim Lampley) (2005)
Total/Sports Illustrated
Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia (2000)
Publications International
The Love of Baseball (2005)
Michael Jordan: MVP and NBA Champ (1991)
Book Reviews
With All Deliberate Speed:
Court-Ordered Busing and American Schools
“Clearly written and extremely informative, this book is a well-balanced, succinct, and lucid treatment of the subject. It offers a thoughtful and realistic look at a difficult topic in American history.”
—Susan Ogintz, Tri State Young Adult Book Review Committee
Montgomery Bus Boycott
“The wrenching consequences of Rosa Parks’s decision that sparked the Civil Rights Movement are depicted in this well-written book. Descriptions of civil rights activism dating back to 1865, including multiple attempts to desegregate streetcars, trains, and buses, provide historical context and a sense of the fervor surrounding discrimination and segregation. The facts of the boycott are documented with supportive news articles, relevant quotations, moving individual stories, and significant court cases. Extra details distinguish this book from similar titles.”
—Margaret Auguste, book reviewer
Magellan
“This book is written in a very adventurous manner. It is packed with detail and organized in a way to keep readers involved.”
—Denver Public Schools
Yellowstone National Park
“The information is detailed and is a great guide to visiting the park or doing research about it. I highly recommend it for students needing historical perspectives as well as information on preservation efforts.”
—Denton Independent School District
Power of the Dog
“A must read for every dog lover. I rarely find a book on dogs that provides so many new insights or brings their magical power to the surface. Power of the Dog exceeded my expectations for knowledge and entertainment.”
—Jack L. Stephens DVM, author and founder/president of Pets Best Insurance
Malala Yousafzai and the Girls of Pakistan
“While her name is now known worldwide, Malala was once just a Pakistani girl who wanted to go to school. This well-crafted book begins dramatically, with the October 2012 shooting of teenage Malala Yousafzai, whose passion for education had angered the Taliban. Though she almost died, Malala lived to continue her crusade. The narrative then goes back in time to introduce this teacher’s daughter, who, unlike most Pakistani girls, was lucky enough to be born into a family that valued girls’ education. Along with telling Malala’s story, this does a very good job of explaining the recent history of the region. Generous inserts include profiles of Benazir Bhutto and the Taliban. Another real plus is the text’s evenhandedness. Malala’s critics also get a voice—one explains that the teen doesn’t see that the real problem in Pakistan is poverty. How can families let young people go to school when they need their children’s meager incomes to survive?”
—Ilene Cooper, Booklist
