Background
Berk was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1976. He grew up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where both of his parents worked as librarians.
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Josh Berk
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He then pursued a Masters Degree at the University of Pittsburgh where he studied Young Adult literature and became enamored with the genre.
Career
He has worked in public libraries since 1998 and was appointed as Executive Director of the Bethlehem Area Public Library (Pennsylvania) in 2014. He also is an Adjunct Professor of Young Adult Literature at Moravian College. Berk began writing for newspapers and magazines, including The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania).
His first young adult novel, "The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin" was published in 2010.
lieutenant was described by School Library Journal as " coming-of-age mash-up of satire, realistic fiction, mystery, and ill-fated teen romance." lieutenant has also received acclaim for starring a deaf protagonist and its skillful handling of related issues.
Achievements
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His first published Young Adult novel, "The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin" (Random House, 2010) won a Parent"s Choice Silver Medal and was named "a best book of 2010 for teens" by Amazon.com and Kirkus Reviews. His first mystery for young readers, "Strike Three, You"re Dead" was nominated for an Edgar Award in 2014. In 2013 "Strike Three, You"re Dead" launched a series of baseball-themed mysteries for younger readers called "Lenny and the Mikes." "Strike Three, You"re Dead" was an Edgar Award finalist and a selection for the New York Public Library"s 2013 "Books for Reading and Sharing." The second book in the series, "Say lieutenant Ain"t So," was published in 2014.
Politics
He holds an Master of Arts in Political Science from Drew University and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. His second young adult novel, Guy Langman: Crime Scene Procrastinator, received positive reviews from School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus.
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Born
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Nationality
United States
Awards
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Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (popularly called the Edgars), named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City.The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (popularly called the Edgars), named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City.