Carol Gorman is an Iowa-born writer of children's literature. She originally aspired to be an actress, and for a few years taught seventh grade at an Iowan middle school. Inspired by her husband and fellow author, Ed Gorman, Carol began writing in the mid-1980's. After having over 22 books published under several names, Carol Gorman still writes and teaches today.

Personal life

The daughter of a paediatrician and a homemaker, Carol grew up in Iowa with her sister and two brothers. Growing up, Carol was drawn to performing. She dreamed of becoming an actress, and while studying at the University of Iowa, she was cast in the lead roles of both West Side Story and Peter Pan. Her dreams of performing seemed to end with her college education, after which she became a teacher at a school in Iowa where she taught the seventh grade. In the 1980’s, Carol married a writer by the name of Ed Gorman, who was the main reason Carol Gorman began to write, herself.

Career

Originally a seventh grade teacher, Carol Gorman began writing when her husband, Ed Gorman, read letters that Carol had sent to her siblings and suggested she may be good at it. As Ed Gorman was already a published writer of Adult suspense books, Carol took his suggestion to heart and began writing. She turned to books to teach her how to do so effectively. She wrote two books before getting published, but now has at least 22 books published to her name, or the pseudonym, Jane Ballard. Gorman has also written as a ghost writer for other authors who, of course, have claimed that credit. Carol Gorman has devoted much of her own writing to mystery and suspense novels for children. This was inspired by the relationship she had with her mother, who would layout mysteries and scavenger hunts for Carol to solve as a child. Today, Carol Gorman spends her time conducting writers’ workshops at elementary and middle schools, as well as teaching part-time at Coe College in Iowa. She still writes and keeps a tight daily schedule for herself in order to keep her books on track.

Cultural impacts

While most of her books are fiction, Carol’s book to have the most impact was nonfiction. “America’s Farm Crisis”, a book aimed at sixth grade students has been praised for doing “a commendable job at describing the farm crisis” in America.
Gorman’s most commendable series included A Midsummer Night’s Dork. Though this was the least commendable book within the series, it has had quite a positive impact. This third book has helped bridge the gap between contemporary works of fiction, and the more classical works of Shakespeare. School teachers have praised the book for helping them interest their students in reading the original work of Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Notable works

Chelsey and the Green-Haired Kid was cited as an outstanding book for the reluctant reader by the American Library Association, earned the Ethical Culture Book Award, was nominated for four state young readers' awards, and was recommended in a Ladies' Home Journal article "How to Get Your Kids to Love Books."

The Miraculous Makeover of Lizard Flanagan was chosen for the American Booksellers Association's Pick of the List and was included by the National Council of Teachers of English for "An Annotated Booklist for Middle School and High School."

Jennifer-the-Jerk Is Missing was featured on Bill Thompson's Associated Press radio show and chosen as a selection for the Florida State Sunshine Young Readers List.

Dork in Disguise is the first novel in the series. It is about a loveable character named Jerry Flack, a boy who was a dork at his previous school. Now he can be a cool kid. As the year progresses, he can’t help but be himself- a dork.

• Winner 2002 -- South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) Junior Book Award
• Winner 2002 -- Missouri Association of School Librarian's Mark Twain Award
• Winner 2002 -- Oklahoma's Sequoyah Children's Book Award
• Winner 2002 -- Washington State's Sasquatch Reading Award
• Winner 2001-02 -- West Virginia Book Award
• Nominee 2001-02 -- South Dakota Prairie Pasque Children's Book Award
• Nominee 2002-03 -- Iowa Children's Choice Award list
• Nominee 2002-03 -- Florida's Sunshine State Young Reader's Award
• Nominee 2004-05 -- Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Minnesota)
• Honor Book 2004 -- Massachusetts Children's Book Award

Dork On The Run is the second book in the Jerry Flack series, and while it did not receive as many nominations, it was still widely praised with middle grade readers. It was nominated for the Garden State Children's Book Award (New Jersey) in 2005 and the 2006/2007 Iowa Children's Choice Award.

Readers named Die for Me to the International Reading Association - Children's Book Council Children's Choice list for 1994.

Graveyard Moon was selected by readers in grades 7-12 for the International Reading Association Young Adult Choice list in 1995. It was also chosen by the National Council of Teachers of English for inclusion in "An Annotated Booklist for Middle School and Junior High."

Back From The Dead was named Parade Magazine's special young adult supplement.

Games is about two eighth grade boys dealing with alcoholic and abusive fathers. They learn to overcome abuse and bullying.
Was nominated for many awards, across many states.
Oklahoma:
Nominated for Oklahoma's 2010 Sequoyah Intermediate Award. Formerly Oklahoma's Sequoyah Young Adult Award.
Missouri:
Nominated for the Missouri Association of School Librarians' Truman book award. Booklist of nominated titles. More about the Truman award for young adults.
Kansas:
Included on the Kansas State Reading Circle 2008 Recommended Reading List.
Listed in the Kansas National Education Association "Reading Circle Catalog."

Stumptown Kid is one of Carol Gorman's most recognized works. Set in the 1950’s, a young white boy befriends a black man who played baseball in the Negro Leagues. Sports-mystery genre.

Connecticut —Nominated: 2010 Nutmeg Book Award

Florida State — Nominated: 2008-09 Sunshine State Young Readers Award Master List (grades 3-5)

Washington State — Nominated: 2008 Sasquatch Award

South Carolina — Nominated: South Carolina Children's Book Award

Alabama — Nominated:Emphasis on Reading Program 2006-2007 Booklist

Louisiana — Nominated: Louisiana Young Readers' Choice list (Louisiana 2008) Study Guide (PDF Download)

New Hampshire — Nominated: Great Stone Face Children's Book Award (New Hampshire 2006-07)

Pennsylvania — 2005-2006 Pennsylvania Young Adult Top Forty List

Nominated: Keystone State Reading Association (Pennsylvania) Young Adult Book Award 2006

Kansas — Included on the Kansas State Reading Circle 2005 Recommended Reading List; Listed in the Kansas National Education Association "Reading Circle Catalog."
This is a powerful historical novel about racism set in a small Iowa town in 1952. This fast-paced story is a winning mix of baseball and suspense. Eleven-year-old Charlie befriends Luther Peale who once pitched for the Negro Baseball League. When Luther offers to coach Charlie's neighborhood team for a game against the Wildcats it opens up racial divisions in town.
Iowa — Nominated for the 2007-2008 Iowa Teen Award;
Included in Iowa City (Iowa) Community School District 2006 Summer reading list for 5th-6th grade readers.
Best Teen Reads 2005 -- Featured title in seminars and handbook by Sharron L. McElmeel.

2006 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People

The Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights has announced its 2005 Outstanding Book Awards and issued an honorable mention to Carol Gorman & Ron Findley for Stumptown Kid.

Featured in article: "Stumptown Kid." By: McElmeel, Sharron L.. School Library Media Activities Monthly, Dec2005, Vol. 22 Issue 4, p35-37, 3p; Column: The Book Bag.

Featured as a discussion book at "The Many Faces of Children's Literature" conference held in Hauppauge, NY on October 27, 2006. Discussion Group V: Batter Up! Boys, Baseball and Bias also included: Heat by Mike Lupica; Gold Dust by Chris Lynch; Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki; and Chief Sunrise, John McGraw, and Me by Timothy Tocher.

Complete book list

Written by Carol Gorman

• America's Farm Crisis - 1987
• Chelsey and the Green-Haired Kid - 1987
• T.J. and the Pirate Who Wouldn't Go Home - 1990
• It's Not Fair - 1992
• Back From the Dead - 1992
• Die For Me - 1992
• The Biggest Bully in Brookedale - 1992
• Graveyard Moon - 1993
• Jennifer-The-Jerk is Missing - 1994
• The Miraculous Makeover of Lizard Flanagan - 1994
• Bugman Lives! - 1996
• Lizard Flanagan, Supermodel?? - 1998
• Pornography - 1998
• Vrai Ou Faux - 1999
• Dork In Disguise - 1999
• L'Homme Insecte - 2000
• Dork on the Run - 2003
• A Midsummer Night's Dork - 2004
• Games - 2007

Written by Carol Gorman and Ed Koehler

• The Taming of Roberta... - 1994
• Brian's Footsteps - 1994
• Million Dollar Winner - 1994
• The Rumor - 1994

Written by Carol Gorman and Rudi Nappi

• The Richest Kid in the World - 1993
• Nobody's Friend - 1993
• The Great Director - 1993
• Skin Deep - 1993

Written by Carol Gorman and Cynthia DeFelice

• The Ghost and Mrs. Hobbs - 2003