Churnin worked as a theater critic for the San Diego edition of the Los Angeles Times from 1986 to 1992. In 2000, she joined the staff of The Dallas Morning News, writing about such topics as health, lifestyles, children's entertainment, and parenting. In January 2014, Churnin became the primary theater critic for The Dallas Morning News, a position she left in January 2019.
Children's books
Churnin's first picture book, The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game was published in 2016. Fifteen other children's books by Churnin were published between 2017 and 2024. Churnin's 17th book, A Teddy Bear for Emily―and President Roosevelt, Too will be published on March 6, 2025
Personal life
Churnin met her husband, Michael Granberry, while they were both writing for the San Diego edition of the Los Angeles Times. They have three sons.
Bibliography
Year
Title
Illustrator
Notes
Ref.
2016
The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game
Jez Tuya
A Spanish edition, La historia de William Hoy: Como un jugador sordo del beisbol cambió el juego was released in 2022.
2017
Manjhi Moves a Mountain
Danny Popovici
2018
Charlie Takes His Shot: How Charlie Sifford Broke the Color Barrier in Golf
John Joven
2018
Irving Berlin: The Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing
James Rey Sanchez
2018
The Queen and the First Christmas Tree: Queen Charlotte's Gift to England
Luisa Uribe
2019
Martin & Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank
Yevgenia Nayberg
2020
Beautiful Shades of Brown: The Art of Laura Wheeler Waring
Felicia Marshall
2020
For Spacious Skies: Katharine Lee Bates and the Inspiration for "America the Beautiful"
12Churnin, Nancy; Tuya, Jez (March 1, 2016). The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game. Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN978-0807591925.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Stancliffe, Bethany (March 6, 2025). A Teddy Bear for Emily―and President Roosevelt, Too. Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN978-0807504222.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Tuya, Jez (September 1, 2022). La historia de William Hoy: Como un jugador sordo del beisbol cambió el juego. Albert Whitman & Company.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Joven, John (January 1, 2018). Charlie Takes His Shot: How Charlie Sifford Broke the Color Barrier in Golf. Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN978-0807511282.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Sanchez, James Rey (May 1, 2018). Irving Berlin: The Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing. Creston Books, LLC. ISBN978-1607107767.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Uribe, Luisa (October 1, 2018). The Queen and the First Christmas Tree: Queen Charlotte's Gift to England. Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN978-0807566367.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Nayberg, Yevgenia (March 5, 2019). Martin & Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank. Creston Books, LLC. ISBN978-1939547538.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Marshall, Felicia (February 4, 2020). Beautiful Shades of Brown: The Art of Laura Wheeler Waring. Creston Books, LLC. ISBN978-1939547651.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Baumert, Olga (April 1, 2020). For Spacious Skies: Katharine Lee Bates and the Inspiration for "America the Beautiful". Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN978-0807525302.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Nayberg, Yevgenia (October 5, 2021). A Queen to the Rescue: The Story of Henrietta Szold, Founder of Hadassah. Creston Books, LLC. ISBN978-1939547958.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Bray, Anneli (September 28, 2023). Lila and the Jack-o'-Lantern: Halloween Comes to America. Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN978-0807566633.
↑Churnin, Nancy; Vincent, Shayna; Pink, Wazza (September 28, 2023). Mama's Year with Cancer. Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN978-0807580790.