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James Patterson – About James

ABOUT JAMES PATTERSON

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James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

  • National Book Foundation’s 2015 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community
  • National Parenting Publications Honors Awards
  • International Reading Association’s Young Adults’ Choices Booklist
  • American Library Association “Teens Top Ten” Pick
  • London Times Book Sense Children’s Pick
  • 2011 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award, Nominee
  • Children’s Choice Book Awards
    • Author of the Year 2010 for Max
    • Nominee, 2011 Teen Choice Book of the Year (Fang) and 2012 Author of the Year (Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life)

Awards for ReadKiddoRead

  • Winner of the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize
  • Winner of the American Library Association’s Great Websites for Kids

James Patterson has donated more than one million books to students, focusing on some of the most under-resourced schools and youth programs in the country. To date, he has donated $7.25 million to school and classroom libraries throughout the United States, and $2.1 million to independent bookstores and employees.

Patterson has recently donated over $35 million to his and his wife’s alma maters—the University of Wisconsin, Vanderbilt University, and Manhattan College—and he has established over four hundred Teacher and Writer Education Scholarships at twenty-one colleges and universities throughout the country. Patterson has also donated more than one million books to U.S. soldiers at home and overseas.

Giving Back to Higher Education

The Patterson Family Foundation has given over $35 million to the alma maters of James and Sue Patterson: Vanderbilt University, Manhattan College, and the University of Wisconsin.

College Scholarships

The Patterson Family Foundation has awarded over seven million dollars in scholarships to students at more than 35 different colleges. The James Patterson Teacher Education Scholarships support up-and-coming teachers, who will help give kids the necessary foundation for lifelong reading enjoyment, at the following schools:

  • Appalachian State University – Reich College of Education
  • Florida Atlantic University – College of Education
  • Howard University – School of Education
  • Mississippi State University – College of Education
  • Tougaloo College – Division of Education, Supervision and Direction
  • University of Alabama – College of Education
  • University of Florida – College of Education
  • University of Pennsylvania – College of Arts and Sciences
  • University of Southern California – Rossier School of Education

Additionally, the Pattersons support the A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, most recently sponsoring the school’s annual holiday prism concert. The school is consistently ranked as one of the highest-performing public schools in the nation and sends more kids on to Juilliard than any other school in the country.

After-school reading programs are also in place at four Palm Beach County middle schools where up to 1,000 books have been donated.

Read more about James Patterson scholarships.

James is Co-chair, World Book Night 2013; He is founding partner with the Duchess of Cornwall of the Children’s Reading Fund (UK); and James is Vice Chairman of the Board for WXEL-TV, South Florida’s public television station.

In May 2015, Patterson launched a children’s book imprint at Little, Brown—JIMMY Patterson—that is unwaveringly focused on one goal: turning kids into lifelong readers. This imprint also provides resources, strategies, and programs to serve teachers, parents, librarians, and booksellers. Patterson invests proceeds from the sales of JIMMY Patterson Books in pro-reading initiatives.

Patterson also founded ReadKiddoRead.com, a website designed to help parents, teachers, and librarians ignite a new generation’s excitement for reading. Awarded the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize and the American Library Association’s Great Websites for Kids, the site features thoughtful book reviews from a variety of genres and age ranges, a large and lively Facebook community, and contributions from other authors.

Patterson’s awards for adult and children’s literature include the Edgar Award, the International Thriller of the Year Award, and the Children’s Choice Award for Author of the Year. For his initiatives in helping kids become passionate readers and for his philanthropic efforts, Patterson was presented with the National Book Foundation’s Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community.