Short Bio
Sarah J. Mendonca is a Portuguese American author of magical books about misfits finding their own way in the world. Raised on her father’s bedtime stories, Sarah started writing about monsters at age eight and hasn’t stopped. You can find her haunting dark forests, lurking in bookshops, or buried underneath her enormous tea collection.
Long Bio
Sarah J. Mendonca is the Portuguese-American author of inventive and twisty (Anne Ursu, author of Not Quite a Ghost), endlessly imaginative (Tracy Badua, award-winning author of Freddie vs. the Family Curse), sparkling adventures (Diane Magras, the Mad Wolf's Daughter series).
Raised on her father’s bedtime stories, Sarah started writing about monsters at age eight and hasn’t stopped. You can find her haunting dark forests, lurking in bookshops, or buried underneath her enormous tea collection.
Sarah is a 2021 Pitch Wars alum, and winner of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ A. Orr Fantasy Grant. In 2018 she was a finalist for the PNW Association Middle Grade literary contest. She lives in the Midwest.
Sarah is represented by Emily Forney at the Bookends Literary Agency.
Press
Announcing Evanston Public Library’s 101 Great Books for Kids: 2025 Edition!!, School Library Journal Blog, October 2025
Top 10 Book Series for Young Dreamers for 2025, SF Weekly, October 2025
Review of AN ENCANTADORA’S GUIDE TO MONSTROS AND MAGIC by Sarah J. Mendonca & Sarah’s Top Ten Addictions, Feed Your Fiction Addiction, August 2025
Azores, fantasy and resilience in the literary debut of Sarah J. Mendonca, Portugal Pulse, August 2025
Açores, fantasia e resiliência na estreia literária da norte-americana Sarah J. Mendonça, Journal Azores 9, August 2025
Açores, fantaisie et résilience dans les débuts littéraires de Sarah J. Mendonça, Portugal France, August 2025
Açores, fantasia e resiliência na estreia literária de Sarah J. Mendonça, AO Minuto, August 2025
Children’s Indie Bestsellers List - July 23rd 2025 [Other Favorites], Bookweb, July 2025
Magical Mayhem, The Children’s Book Council, July 2025
Fantasy Round Up, Ms. Yingling Reads, July 2025
New and Noteworthy Children’s and YA Books: July 2025, Publisher’s Weekly, July 2025
New Releases for July 2025, From the Mixed Up Files, July 2025
New Releases and More for July 8, 2025, Bookriot, July 2025
My 5 Favorite Books Releasing July 8, 2025, Mrs. Readerpants, July 2028
découvrez 12 livres de science-fiction et de fantasy captivants à paraître en juillet 2025, Fantasy Blog France, July 2025
New Kids’ and YA Books: Week of July 7, 2025, Publisher’s Weekly, July 2025
A Jackpot of 18 July New Books, Waking Brain Cells, July 2025
12 of the Most New Sci-fi and Fantasy Books of July 2025, Book Riot, July 2025
Hot Off the Press - Reading List July 2025, The Children’s Book Council, July 2025
Owls, Haunted Pianos, Having the Moon for a Neighbor: Ten Children’s Books to Read in July, Literary Hub, June 2025
Children’s Institute 2025: A Photo Essay, Publisher’s Weekly, June 2025
20 Best July Books for Young Readers, Kirkus Reviews, June 2025
July/ August 2025 Kids’ Indie Next List, American Booksellers Association, June 2025
June 2025 Kirkus Reviews - Children’s Editors Pick
Best New Books in July 2025 for Kids, Teens, and Teachers, We Are Teachers, June 2025
Children's Institute 2025: Authors and Illustrators to Meet, Publisher’s Weekly, May 2025
Summer/ Fall 2025 Indies Introduce Featured Title, American Bookseller Association, May 2025
Starred Review, Publisher’s Weekly, May 2025
Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, May 2025
Author Spotlight, Middle Grade Escapades, April 2025
Take Five: 2025 Middle Grade Debuts, School Library Journal, February 2025
42 Most-anticipated new fantasy books 2025, Rainbow Reading Nook, February 2025
Rights Report: Week of June 12th, 2023, Publishers Weekly, June 2023
Middle Grade Literary Contest Finalist, Pacific Northwest Association, 2018
General Info
Name: Sarah J. Mendonca
Pronouns: She/Her
For literary rights inquiries
Please contact Emily Forney at Bookends Literary Agency
For interviews
To book Sarah for an interview, submit a request to her contact form
For author visits
Check out my author visit page for more information
Headshots
High-Res Headshot, credit: Mountain Goat Books
An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic
Right-click on the image to download a high-resolution file. For more info, including ISBN #s, please visit my books page.