Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, addiction, and substance use.

Fleming is a nonfiction author known for writing biographies and history books for children and young adults. Born in 1962, she grew up in Michigan and attended Eastern Illinois University, where she earned a degree in history. Fleming has focused on writing nonfiction for children. These books include The Lincolns (2008) and The Great and Only Barnum (2009). Fleming has received several awards for her work, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and multiple ALA Notable Book recognitions.

Fleming’s books, including Amelia Lost, combine historical narrative with primary source material such as newspaper articles, letters, and interviews. She focuses on primary sources and places historical figures within the broader context of their time period. Her biographies on Eleanor Roosevelt and Benjamin Franklin required extensive research and analysis of historical sources. This gave her experience working with archives, evaluating historical accounts, and identifying contradictions between different sources. When writing Amelia Lost, she applied the same research methods, incorporating newspaper reports, personal letters, and official records related to Earhart’s life.