Laurie Halse Anderson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laurie Halse Anderson
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Anderson at the 2019 Texas Book Festival
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| Born | Laurie Beth Halse October 23, 1961 Potsdam, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Genre | Young adult fiction, historical fiction, picture books for young readers |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Margaret A. Edwards Award 2009 |
| Spouse | 1) Greg Anderson (divorced) 2) Scot Larrabee |
| Children | 4 |
Laurie Halse Anderson (born Laurie Beth Halse on October 23, 1961) is an American writer. She is famous for her amazing books for children and young adults. In 2010, she won the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her important work in young adult literature. She also received the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2023, which is a huge honor.
She first became well-known for her novel Speak, which was published in 1999.
Contents
About Laurie Halse Anderson
Her Early Life and Education
Laurie Beth Halse was born in Potsdam, New York. She grew up there with her younger sister, Lisa. From a young age, she loved writing. She especially enjoyed reading science fiction and fantasy books as a teenager.
She went to Fayetteville-Manlius High School in Manlius, New York. When she was 16, during her senior year, she lived as an exchange student in Denmark. She stayed there for 13 months on a pig farm. This experience was very different from her life in New York!
Her Family Life
Laurie Halse Anderson married Greg Anderson. They had two daughters, Stephanie and Meredith. Later, they divorced.
Years later, Laurie married Scot Larrabee. They blended their families, bringing together Laurie's two daughters and Scot's two children, Jessica and Christian.
Her Writing Journey
Starting Her Career
Laurie Halse Anderson began her career as a freelance journalist. She worked for The Philadelphia Inquirer. During this time, she also started writing books for kids and young adults. Even though she got many rejection letters, she kept going!
Her first children's novel, Ndito Runs, came out in 1996. It was inspired by Kenyan Olympic marathon runners. Later that year, she published Turkey Pox. This story was based on her own daughter, Meredith, who got chickenpox on Thanksgiving.
Non-Fiction and More Stories
Early in her career, Laurie also wrote non-fiction books. She wrote a children's book about Saudi Arabia. She also helped write a book about parenting shy children.
Popular Books by Laurie Halse Anderson
Speak (1999)
Speak is one of Anderson's most famous novels. It was published in 1999. The book became a New York Times Bestseller. It was even made into a movie in 2004, starring Kristen Stewart. Speak was a finalist for the National Book Award. It has been translated into 16 different languages, reaching many readers around the world.
Fever 1793 (2000)
In 2000, Anderson published Fever 1793. This is a historical fiction novel. It takes place in Philadelphia during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. The book received great reviews and won several awards. It also became a Publishers Weekly Bestseller.
Catalyst (2002)
Catalyst was published in 2002. The story happens at the same high school as Speak. Some characters from Speak even make small appearances! This book was named a Barnes & Noble Best Teen Book of 2002. It was also an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults.
Thank You, Sarah! (2002)
Laurie Anderson also writes fun picture books. Thank You, Sarah! The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving came out in 2002. This book tells the story of how Thanksgiving became a national holiday. It received good reviews and was chosen for important reading lists.
Prom (2005)
In 2005, Anderson published Prom. This book quickly appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. It received many awards and was recognized by the American Library Association (ALA).
Twisted (2007)
Twisted is another popular young adult novel by Anderson. It was released in 2007. This book won several awards, including the ALA Best Book for Young Adults 2008. It also became a New York Times Bestseller.
Seeds of America Trilogy (2008–2016)
Laurie Halse Anderson wrote a historical fiction series called Seeds of America.
- The first book, Chains, came out in 2008. It's about a teenage slave during the American Revolutionary War. This novel won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.
- The second book, Forge, was published in 2010. It also received great reviews and awards.
- The third book in the series is Ashes, published in 2016.
Wintergirls (2009)
Wintergirls was released in 2009. This novel tells the story of two girls dealing with serious eating disorders. The book received many five-star reviews. It was named an ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults. It also debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list. Wintergirls has been published in over 15 different countries.
Awards and Special Honors
Laurie Halse Anderson has won many important awards for her writing.
- In 2009, she received the Margaret A. Edwards Award. This award honors writers for their lasting contributions to young adult literature. The award committee praised her novels Speak, Fever 1793, and Catalyst. They said she "masterfully gives voice to teen characters."
- In 2017, she received the Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers' Literature.
- For her novel Speak, Anderson won the Golden Kite Award and the Edgar Allan Poe Award. She was also a runner-up for the Michael L. Printz Award and the National Book Award for Young People's Literature.
- Her book Chains was a National Book Award finalist in 2008. It won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 2009.
- In 2023, Laurie Halse Anderson won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. This is one of the biggest awards in children's literature worldwide!
List of Her Books
Young Adult Novels
- Speak (1999) ISBN: 9780141310886
- Catalyst (2002) ISBN: 9780756915322
- Prom (2005) ISBN: 9781407138596
- Twisted (2007) ISBN: 9780142411841
- Wintergirls (2009) ISBN: 9781407171067
- The Impossible Knife of Memory (2014) ISBN: 9780670012091
- Speak: the graphic novel, illustrated by Emily Caroll (2018) ISBN: 9780374300289
Historical Novels
- Fever 1793 (2000) ISBN: 9780739349052
- Seeds of America series:
Children's Books
- Ndito Runs (1996) ISBN: 9780805032659
- Turkey Pox (1996)
- No Time for Mother's Day (2001)
- The Big Cheese of Third Street (2002)
- Thank You, Sarah! The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving (2002) ISBN: 9780689851438
- Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution (2008)
- The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School (2009)
- Vet Volunteers series:
- Fight for Life: Maggie (2000)
- Homeless: Sunita (2000)
- Trickster: David (2000) ISBN: 9780142410837
- Manatee Blues: Brenna (2000)
- Say Good-Bye: Zoe (2001)
- Storm Rescue: Sunita (2001)
- Teacher's Pet: Maggie (2001)
- Trapped: Brenna (2001)
- Fear of Falling: David (2001)
- Time to Fly (2002)
- Masks (2002)
- End of the Race (2003) ISBN: 9780142412282
- New Beginnings (2012)
- Acting Out (2012)
- Helping Hands (2013)
- Treading Water (2014)
- Left Behind (2016)
Graphic Novels
- Speak: The Graphic Novel, illustrated by Emily Caroll (2019)
- Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed, illustrated by Leila Del Duca (2020)
Memoir
- Shout: The True Story of a Survivor Who Refused to be Silenced (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Laurie Halse Anderson para niños
