Laurie Halse Anderson by Beth Vancil

1. Laurie Halse Andersonby Beth Vancil

2. All About Laurie • Born: Oct. 23, 1961 in Potsdam, New York • Married to her childhood sweetheart, Scot. They have 4 children, 2 dogs and assorted chickens. • Her hobbies include gardening, training for running marathons, and hiking in the mountains. • Her web site with additional biographic information: http://madwomanintheforest.com/ • She currently lives in Mexico, New York in the country.

3. Education • As a senior in High School, Laurie studied in Denmark and lived on a pig farm. • When she returned after 13 months she attended Onondaga Community College. • Laurie transferred to Georgetown University in 1981 and graduated in 1984 with a BSLL in Language and Linguistics.

4. Laurie’s Journey in Writing Laurie has loved writing since the 2nd grade. She started as a freelancer for newspapers and magazines. She joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and found a support critique group and things started to flow.

5. Published Works Begin • 1996 – Ndito Runs – about Kenyan Olympic marathon runners who run miles to and from school daily. • 1996 – Turkey Pox – inspired by her daughter who got chicken pox on Thanksgiving. • 1998 – No Time for Mother’s Day – with the same characters as Turkey Pox. • 2002 – Thank you, Sarah – historical fiction actually about a distant relative of Laurie’s. • Wild at Heart Series – Book 12 released in March 2003 • Vet Volunteers – elementary chapter books

6. Young Adult and Historical Fiction Speak (1999) – about a young girl who is traumatized and learns to stand up for what is right. “You have to know what you stand for, not just what you stand against.” (goodreads) Awards for this book: National Book Award Finalist, New York Times Bestsellers list, Printz Honor Book,

7. Fever 1793 (2000)– All is going well until… Yellow fever takes over the area and Mattie must learn to cope and survive. Book Trailer: Fever 1793 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKPQVOjCuuM

8. Twisted – Tylerfades into the background but after a summer of physical labor as punishment for a graffiti prank, he is suddenly getting noticed. “Everybody told me to be a man. Nobody told me how.” (goodreads) Awards Received: New York Times Bestsellers, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, International Reading Association Young Adult Choice List, Teen Top 10.

9. Chains (2008) – At the time of the American Revolution, Isabel must learn to care for herself and her sister. They are to be freed upon the death of their owner, yet they are sold. Isabel must decide how to survive against a cruel new owner. Sequel – Forge (2010) “A scar is a sign of strength…the sign of a survivor.” Book Trailer: Chains http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_ detailpage&v=gqzNG2NmZn0

10. Laurie’s Thoughts on Writing She has two writing paths: • Throughcharacters - writing lots of scenes (later cutting some) helps her understand the background and the people in the story. • Through plot – scenes are developed more systematically but she keeps a separate journal in which to develop the characters. The best and worst parts of writing: BEST – “When the magic flows so strong that I lose track of where and who I am.” WORST – “I HATE first drafts.”

11. Laurie's Motto 1. Adapt and overcome2. Read or Die3. It’s not a mistake if you don’t learn from it. “Writing keeps me healthy and sane. “

12. Honors New York Times Bestselling Author 2 time National Book Award Nominee 2008 – Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) for outstanding contributions to the field of adolescent literature. 2009 – Margaret A. Edwards Award given by ALA for significant and lasting achievements in Young Adult literature. 2010 – School Library Spokesperson for AASL

13. Quotes from others Laurie Halse Anderson masterfully gives voice to teen characters undergoing transformations in their lives through their honesty and perseverance while finding the courage to be true to themselves. David Mowery, Chair2009 Margaret A. Edwards Committee YALSA “recognizes an iconic and classic storyteller who in her character development has created for teens a body of work that continues to be widely read and cherished by a diverse audience.”

14. Works Cited Anderson, Laurie Halse., and Lizzy Bromley. Chains. New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 2008. Print. Anderson, Laurie Halse., and Lizzy Bromley. Chains. New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 2008. Print. Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever, 1793. New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 2000. Print. Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1999. Print. Anderson, Laurie Halse. Twisted. New York: Viking, 2007. Print.

15. "Books." Amazon.com:. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. "Goodreads." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. "Home." Mad Woman in the Forest. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. "Scholastic, the Largest Children's Book Publisher, Promotes Literacy with Books for Kids of All Ages and Reading Levels." Scholastic Publishes Literacy Resources and Children's Books for Kids of All Ages. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014. "Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators The International Professional Organization for Writers and Illustrators of Children's Literature." SCBWI. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.