Benjamin Alire Sáenz is an artist, poet, novelist, and writer of children’s books. His most recent publications include the young adult novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Simon and Schuster, 2012) and a poetry collection titled The Book of What Remains (Copper Canyon Press, 2010).  Some of his other titles are Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club, Carry Me Like Water, In Perfect Light, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, He Forgot to Say Goodbye, and Dreaming the End of War. He is currently working on a new book of poems titled Night Disappearing into a Perfect Sky.

His children’s books include A Gift for Papa Diego, A Perfect Season for Dreaming, and The Dog Who Loved Tortillas. Last Night I Sang to the Monster (Cinco Puntos Press, 2012) was a finalist for the PEN USA award, a YALSA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults, and was named one of the best books of the year by School Library Journal.

Sáenz has been awarded a PEN/Faulkner Fiction Award, Printz Honor Book, Stonewall Award, Wallace Stegner Fellowship in poetry, Lannan Poetry Fellowship, American Book Award, Paterson Book Prize, Americas Award, Tomas Rivera Award, Southwest Book Award, and has been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.