Short Version
Lily Frusciante is a writer of books for young readers. Though born in the South Florida sun, she has called several cities home over the years—including New York, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, and Chicago. She received her BA in Spanish from New York University and her PhD in Spanish and Portuguese from Northwestern University. She has worked as a middle school teacher, a visiting assistant professor, and a freelance copy editor. Currently, she works as an editor of literacy curriculum products for grades K–8.
As a writer, Lily loves to craft stories with exciting plots that consider how young readers can make it through the more difficult moments of life. She also turns to her writing to remember and honor her cultural roots. Lily lives in Chicago with her husband and her dog. You will most likely find her writing in a local coffee shop, listening to her favorite movie scores, or exploring new places on long walks.
Long Version
Lily Frusciante is a South Florida–born writer of books for young readers.
She attended undergrad at New York University, where she majored in Spanish and spent most of her free time exploring the city on foot—her favorite way to get around. Lily lived and studied in Buenos Aires for her entire third year of college to immerse herself in her family’s heritage language. After graduating, she moved to Miami to teach middle school intensive reading and art through the Teach For America program. Her belief in the power of books for young readers stems from this teaching experience.
Following TFA, Lily started graduate school in hope of blending her love for education with her passion for Latin American culture and history. She accepted a position in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Northwestern University and defended her dissertation, “Beyond Memory’s Limits: Resistance, Justice, and Truth in Contemporary Brazilian, Chilean, and Argentine Culture,” in 2019. She subsequently served as a visiting assistant professor in the same department for two years.
These days, Lily writes middle-grade novels and picture books. She also works as an editorial manager at Lavinia Group, where she helps develop literacy curriculum products for grades K–8. Lily enjoys crafting stories that represent the strange and curious aspects of life, and that consider the strength young people have to make it through difficult situations. Lily also turns to her writing to remember and honor her cultural roots. As someone whose family comes from Puerto Rico and Italy (on her dad’s side) and Ireland and Sweden (on her mom’s side), she fundamentally believes in literature’s ability to help us understand who we are.
Lily lives in Chicago with her husband and her ever-loyal writing companion, Falcor Danger the Dog. She’s an avid fan of salt and vinegar chips, cooking, all things The Lord of the Rings, CrossFit-style workouts, and long walks through the city—even during the frigid Chicago winter. Though she was born in the South Florida sun, fall is her favorite season.
Represented by Bibi Lewis of the Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency.
Comic strip by Tania del Rio.