About Chrystal
Chrystal D. Giles is a champion for diversity and representation in children’s literature. Chrystal often says she’s a lover of both words and numbers, she spent fifteen years as an accountant before transitioning to writing full-time. Chrystal made her debut with Take Back the Block, which received multiple starred reviews, was a Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and NPR Best Book, and won the IRA Social Justice Literature Award. Her latest middle-grade novel, Not An Easy Win, received four starred reviews and was named an ALA Notable Children's Book. Chrystal lives outside Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and son.
For an audio name pronunciation click here.
Photo credit: Bryan Bazemore Photography
More about Chrystal
Chrystal was born and grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has always been a lover of books. One of her favorite places to visit as a young girl was her local public library. She would wander the aisles collecting books, return home with a tall stack, and read them as fast as she could.
She also wrote lots of stories throughout her childhood and sometimes performed those stories in the form of a play (complete with props) with her siblings. Her mom cheered from the couch.
Throughout her teenage years, her love for reading continued and a new passion for accounting and business formed. She was a member of the Academy of Finance at her alma mater, Garinger High School. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and started her professional career in the accounting field.
In 2015, after her son was born, her love for children’s books was reignited. While reading to her son every night, she soon realized she had lots of stories lying dormant in her heart and imagination—so she started writing!
After drafting many stories (some not so good), she completed the first draft of Take Back the Block in 2017, her middle-grade debut novel published by Random House Books for Young Readers.
Chrystal lives outside Charlotte with her husband and son. In her free time she likes to read (of course), travel, eat great food, have deep conversations, and binge watch TV shows with her husband.