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New York Times Editor's Choice

When Friendship 

Followed Me Home

"This book soars...hopeful, glittering."

- Renee Dale,  NY Times Book Review

Masterlist/State lists:

"Penetrating and honest."

“Entrancing, magical, tragic, and uplifting.” 

“As funny and heartwarming as it is gut-punching... thoroughly engaging.”

“…a world of imagination and true friendship.”

— School Library Connection, starred review

Outstanding Merit

"Full of pace and laughter, bruises and heart. Paul Griffin is the sort of writer you're torn between telling the whole world about and keeping all to yourself."—Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief

"When Friendship Followed Me Home is both a beautiful book, and an honest book; it is, in fact, beautiful because it is honest. We see the pain of loss, and the glory of community. We see love in its many forms, and we witness the truth that love goes on despite all barriers. Cheer for Ben and Halley: it is kids like these who are our hope.”  —Gary D. Schmidt,

author of Okay for Now

"'Friendship' is an absolutely beautiful, heart-expanding book.  I cried, but more than that, I felt this giant balloon of love for everyone. This story convinced me all over again that love and imagination are life's biggest magic. It'll make you want to grab hold of everyone important to you and lick them on the nose."

—Rebecca Stead, author of  When You Reach Me

"Some books change the way you see the world. Some change the way you breathe. This book will leave you breathless. This is Paul Griffin's best book yet—and that's really saying something."  

—Patricia McCormick,

author of  Sold

Audiobook read by Paul, available from Listening Library

 

Also available in

Spanish, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Hungarian,

Italian, Turkish, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Polish, Romanian

IN THE PRESS

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My Books

A Path of Life

Dark Ocean

Web of Lies

Events
About
My Books

Review | Stay With Me

e

“Funny, wrenching, often heartbreaking. Scarily credible dialogue. Gorgeously rendered. Gracefully answers questions and solves mysteries, leaving us with hope and a smile."

CATHI HANAUER

New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice

EventS

Jan 31                                                               PS 32                                                 Brooklyn, NY

Feb 28                                                              NYPL/WHEELS HS                         Washington Heights, NYC

March 1 - 4

Martin County, Florida

April 5                                                              Belmont and Crossroads                    Brooklyn, NY

April 26 - 29                                                    April is for Authors                            Palm Beach, Florida

May 31                                                            BEA SLJ Day of Dialogue                 NYC, NYU

June 8                                                              Syosset Library                                   Syosset, NY

June 22-25                                                      American Library Association            Chicago, IL

Sept 26-Oct 3                                                  Saving Marty tour                               TBA

October 9                                                        Keystone State Reading Assoc.           Hershey, PA

Oct 16, 17                                                       School visits                                        West Palm Beach, FLA

Oct 18-20                                                        F.A.M.E.                                              Orlando, FLA

Oct 21                                                             Tweens Read                                        South Houston, TX

Oct 23-28                                                       Greater Rochester Teens Read             Rochester, NY

Press
Books

When Friendship
Followed Me Home

The Orange Houses

 

Burning Blue

ten mile river

 

Adrift

STAY WITH ME

ABOUT

After graduating Dartmouth College with a BA in Film Studies, I was well-prepared to find work as a butler and bartender, a cook and an EMT, a dog trainer, a driver.  I washed dishes with Vin Diesel.  I made movies and wrote short stories and plays, scripts and, yes, novels that more often than not featured the street mutts that had a habit of wiggling their way into whatever apartment I was living in at the time.  I worked construction, loaded trucks, tutored and taught. The hardest and best work was the teaching.  I started out with the Creative Arts Team, specializing in HIV/AIDS prevention and conflict resolution workshops.  These days I work with organizations like Literacy for Incarcerated Teens and Behind the Book. Seeing young people learn how to tell their life stories in ways that might bring them a step closer to realizing their dreams----that's like finding treasure. I live with my family, human and canine, in New York City, which is chock-full of stories, not to mention characters. 

PHOTO CREDIT: FRANCISCO ALIWALAS

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