Marc Aronson

Marc Aronson is an award-winning author, editor, and publisher with more than 30 years of experience creating books for young readers. A passionate advocate for internationalism, hybridity, and the pleasures of nonfiction—what he calls “curiosity books”—Aronson teaches courses on literature for children and teens, as well as international youth literature. He was the first recipient of the American Library Association’s Robert L. Sibert Medal for excellence in youth nonfiction and remains the only person recognized as both editor and author in ALA’s two youth nonfiction prizes.

Aronson has curated exhibitions on basketball in New York and Toronto and founded the International Youth Literature Collection at Rutgers’ Alexander Library, which brings books in many languages and translations to the university and surrounding communities. His recent work includes co-authoring “Reading the Bones: Homo naledi and the Mysteries of Human Evolution” (2026) with John Mead, guest editing a special issue of Bookbird (2025), and co-authoring “Bite by Bite: American History Through Feasts, Food, and Side Dishes” (2024) with Yale professor Paul Freedman.

His books include “Four Streets and a Square: A History of Manhattan and the New York Idea” (2021); “Witch Hunt: Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials” (2005); and acclaimed titles such as “Sugar Changed the World,” “Eyes of the World,” and “Trapped.” Aronson’s honors include the AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Writing in Middle School Books (2013) and the ALAN Prize for Service to Teenagers and YA Literature (2006). His research interests include transnational history and international youth literature.

Ph.D., American History, New York University
M.A., American History, New York University
B.A., New York University

Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL)
SC&I Youth Cluster