Candace Groth Fleming (born May 24, 1962) is an American writer of children's books, both fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of more than 50 books for children and young adults, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize-honored The Family Romanov and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award-winning biography, The Lincolns, among others.
In 2013, the Children's Book Council named Fleming a Children's Book Month Champion, and in 2014, Fleming was awarded the Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award. In 2016, she was a finalist for the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature, which "celebrates the importance of children's and young-adult literature and the impact it has on our children's minds." Thirty-two of her books are Junior Library Guild selections.
In 2026, two different divisions of the American Library Association awarded Fleming lifetime achievement awards: the Children's Literature Legacy Award (awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children) and the Margaret A. Edwards award (awarded by the Young Adults Library Services Association).
Biography Fleming was born May 24, 1962, in Michigan City, Indiana to Charles and Carol Groth. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Illinois University in 1985. She married Scott Fleming November 9, 1985 and they have two children.
From 1997 to 2005, Fleming was a teacher at William Rainey Harper College near Chicago. Since that time, she has worked full-time as a writer, educator, and speaker.
Her first picture book Professor Fergus Fahrenheit and his Wonderful Weather Machine was published by Simon & Schuster in 1994 as written by "Candace Groth-Fleming" and illustrated by Don Weller (). Subsequent publications have all appeared under the name Candace Fleming.
Selected texts
The Lincolns (2008) The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary, published October 14, 2008 by Schwartz & Wade, is a nonfiction children's book about Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary. The book is a Junior Library Guild selection. The Horn Book Magazine, Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal named it one of the best nonfiction children's books of 2008. +Awards for The LincolnsYearAwardResultRef.2008Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult NovelFinalist2009Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for NonfictionWinnerGreat Lakes Book Award: Children's Chapter BooksFinalistNCTE Orbis Pictus AwardHonor
The Great and Only Barnum (2009) The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum, published September 8, 2009 by Schwartz & Wade and illustrated by Ray Fenwick, is a nonfiction children's picture book about P. T. Barnum. The book is a Junior Library Guild selection. Publishers Weekly named it one of the best children's books of 2009. In 2010, Booklist included The Great and Only Barnum on their "Top 10 Biographies for Youth" list. +Awards for The Great and Only BarnumYearAwardResultRef.2010ALA Best Fiction for Young AdultsSelectionALSC Notable Children's BooksSelectionYALSA Award for Excellence in NonfictionFinalist
Amelia Lost (2011) Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart, published February 8, 2011 by Schwartz & Wade, is a nonfiction middle-grade children's book about Amelia Earhart. In 2011, The Horn Book Magazine named it one of the best nonfiction children's books of the year, and Bank Street College of Education named it a book of outstanding merit for children aged nine to twelve and twelve to fourteen. +Awards for Amelia LostYearAwardResultRef.2011Cybils Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult NonfictionWinner2012Golden Kite Award for NonfictionWinnerNCTE Orbis Pictus AwardHonor
Oh, No! (2012) Oh, No!, published September 11, 2012 and illustrated by Eric Rohmann, is a fictional picture book about a series of animals who fall into a hole. Bank Street College of Education named it one of the best books of the year for children age five to nine. +Awards for Oh, No! YearAwardResultRef.2013Bull-Bransom Award NomineeCharlotte Zolotow AwardHighly CommendedShortlistPEN/Steven Kroll AwardShortlist
The Family Romanov (2014) The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia, published July 8, 2014 by Schwartz & Wade, is a nonfiction children's book about the Romanovs.
Both the book and audiobook editions of The Family Romanov are Junior Library Guild selections. In 2014, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, The Horn Book Magazine, School Library Journal named it of the best nonfiction children's books of the year. Publishers Weekly named it one of the best young adult books of the year. Booklist included it on their 2014 "Top of the List" and 2015 "Top 10 Biographies for Youth" lists. School Library Journal included the audiobook edition in their list of the top ten best audiobooks of the year. +Awards for The Family RomanovYearAwardResultRef.2014Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for YouthSelectionBoston Globe–Horn Book Award for NonfictionWinnerCybils Award for Young Adult NonfictionWinnerLos Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult NovelWinner2015ALSC Notable Children's RecordingsSelectionGolden Kite Award for NonfictionWinnerNCTE Orbis Pictus AwardWinnerSibert MedalFinalistYALSA Award for Excellence in NonfictionFinalist2016William Allen White Children's Book AwardNominee
Giant Squid (2016) Giant Squid, published September 27, 2016 by Roaring Brook Press and illustrated by Eric Rohmann, is a nonfiction children's book about giant squids. Giant Squid is a Junior Library Guild book. In 2016, Horn Book Magazine and the New York Public Library named it one of the best nonfiction children's books of the year. In 2017, Bank Street College of Education named it one of the best books for children ages five to nine. +Awards for Giant SquidYearAwardResultRef.2016Cybils Award for Elementary NonfictionWinner2017ALSC Notable Children's BooksSelectionCharlotte Zolotow AwardHonorNCTE Orbis Pictus AwardHonorSibert MedalHonor2018William Allen White Children's Book AwardNominee
Honeybee (2020) Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera, published February 4, 2020 by Neal Porter Books and illustrated by Eric Rohmann, is a nonfiction picture book about honey bees. Honeybee is a Junior Library Guild book. Publishers Weekly and Shelf Awareness named it one of the best picture books of 2020, and The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books and Horn Book Magazine included it on their list of the best nonfiction children's books of the year. Bank Street College of Education named it a book of outstanding merit for children aged nine to twelve. +Awards for HoneybeeYearAwardResultRef.2020Cybils Award for Elementary NonfictionFinalist2021NCTE Cook PrizeHonorNCTE Orbis Pictus AwardHonorSibert MedalWinner
The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh (2020) The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh, published February 11, 2020 by Schwartz & Wade, is a nonfiction children's book about Charles Lindbergh.
Both the book and audiobook editions of The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh are Junior Library Guild selections. Publishers Weekly named it one of the best young adult books of 2020, and Booklist included it on their 2020 "Top 10 Biographies for Youth" list. The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Horn Book Magazine, and School Library Journal included it on their lists of the best nonfiction children's books of the year. +Awards for The Rise and Fall of Charles LindberghYearAwardResultRef.2020Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for YouthSelection2021Amazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsSelectionYALSA Award for Excellence in NonfictionWinner
Publications
Picture books
Professor Ferguson Fahrenheit and his Wonderful Weather Machine (1994) Women of the Lights (1995), illustrated by James Watling Madame LaGrande and Her So High, to the Sky, Uproarious Pompadour (1996), illustrated by S.D. Schindler Gabriella's Song (1997), illustrated by Giselle Potter Westward Ho, Carlotta! (1997), illustrated by David Catrow The Hatmaker's Sign (1998), illustrated by Robert A. Parker When Agnes Caws (1999), illustrated by Giselle Potter A Big Cheese for the White House: The True Tale of a Tremendous Cheddar (1999), illustrated by S.D. Schindler Who Invited You? (2001), illustrated by George Booth Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! (2002), illustrated by G. Brian Karas Boxes for Katje (2003), illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen Smile, Lily! (2004), illustrated by Yumi Heo Gator Gumbo: A Spicy-Hot Tale (2004), illustrated by Sally Anne Lambert This Is the Baby (2004), illustrated by Maggie Smith Sunny Boy!: The Life and Times of a Tortoise (2005), illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf Tippy-Tippy-Tippy Tippy-Tippy-Tippy, Hide! (2007), illustrated by G. Brian Karas Tippy-Tippy-Tippy, Splash! (2014), illustrated by G. Brian Karas Imogene's Last Stand (2009), illustrated by Nancy Carpenter Seven Hungry Babies (2010), illustrated by Eugene Yelchin Clever Jack Takes the Cake (2010), illustrated by G. Brian Karas Oh, No! (2012), illustrated by Eric Rohmann Papa's Mechanical Fish (2013), illustrated by Boris Kolikov Bulldozer Bulldozer's Big Day (2015), illustrated by Eric Rohmann Bulldozer Helps Out (2017), illustrated by Eric Rohmann Go Sleep In Your Own Bed! (2017), illustrated by Lori Nichols Emma's Circus (2017), illustrated by Christine Davenier The Amazing Collection of Joey Cornell (2018), illustrated by Gérard DuBois Cubs in the Tub: The True Story of the Bronx Zoo's First Woman Zookeeper (2020), illustrated by Julie Downing Bulldozer's Christmas Dig (2021), illustrated by Eric Rohmann What Isabella Wanted (2021), illustrated by Matt Cordell Polar Bear (2022), illustrated by Eric Rohmann The Tide Pool Waits (2022), illustrated by Amy Hevron Mine! (2023), illustrated by Eric Rohmann Penny & Pip (2023), illustrated by Eric Rohmann Narwhal: The Unicorn of the Arctic (2024), illustrated by Deena So'oteh
Fiction
Aesop Elementary The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School (2005) The Fabled Fifth Graders of Aesop Elementary School (2010) Lowji Discovers America (2005) On the Day I Died: Stories from the Grave (2010) History Pals Ben Franklin's in My Bathroom! (2017), illustrated by Marc Fearing Eleanor Roosevelt's in My Garage! (2018), illustrated by Marc Fearing Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen (2018), illustrated by Eric Rohmann
Non-fiction
Ben Franklin's Almanac: Being a True Account of the Good Gentleman's Life (2003) Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Remarkable Life (2005) The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary (2008) The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum (2009) Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart (2011) The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia (2014) Presenting Buffalo Bill: The Man Who Invented the Wild West (2016) Giant Squid (2016), illustrated by Eric Rohmann Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera (2020) The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh (2020) The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb (2021) Crash From Outer Space: Unraveling the Mystery of Flying Saucers, Alien Beings, and Roswell (2022) Murder Among Friends: How Leopold and Loeb Tried to Commit the Perfect Crime (2022) The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II (2024) Is It Real? The Loch Ness Monster (2025) Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown (2025)
Anthologies
Guys Read True Stories (2014) edited by Jon Scieszka. Contributed “A Jumbo Story” about Jumbo the elephant. Our Story Begins: your favorite authors and illustrators share fun, inspiring, and occasionally ridiculous things they wrote and drew as kids (2017) edited by Elissa Brent Weissman.