Learn all about the magnificent author, Laura Halse Anderson through this PowerPoint Presentation.

1. Author Study: Laurie Halse Anderson

2. Biography: Birth: October 23, 1961, in Potsdam, New York Parents: ReverandFrank and Joyce Halse MarriedGregory Anderson (first husband) Scot Larrabee (2nd/current husband) Family: Four children Influences: Watching her father write poetry and read; working on her father’s old typewriter to write newspaper columns, stories and letters; her second grade teacher, Mrs. Sheedy-Shea who taught her to write haiku poetry Education: Associates Degree from Onondaga County Community College in 1981. Bachelor Degree in languages and linguistics from Georgetown University in 1984. Prior Occupations: Laurie Halse Anderson never planned to be an author. After graduating from Georgetown University, she worked various jobs such as cleaning banks, milking cows and working as a stockbroker. Unsatisfied, Anderson took a job as a reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, later becoming a freelance writer and editor for a magazine. Anderson published her first book in 1996 titled Ndito Runs, a picture book for children. Hobbies: gardening, hiking, training for and running marathons

3. Interesting Facts: During her senior year in high school, Laurie Halse Anderson was an exchange student in Denmark, learning to speak the Danish language (that she can still speak today). For 13 months she lived and worked on a pig farm. While “dabbling” in writing during her freelance writing years, she received numerous piles worth of rejection letters from publishers. Although the experience was intimidating and discouraging, Halse Anderson continued to pursue her goal. It took her eight long years to finally publish her first story.

4. Author’s Works: Young Adult Novels

5. Author’s Works: Series Forge(2010, forthcoming): sequel to Chains Vet Volunteers (Previously published by Pleasant Company under the title Wild at Heart) Book 1: Fight for Life: Maggie (2007) (Winner of the Henry Bergh ASPCA Award for children’s books) Book 2: Homeless: Sunita (2007) Book 3: Trickster: David (2008) Book 4: Manatee Blues: Brenna (2008) Book 5: Say Good-Bye: Zoe (2008) (Children’s Book Council Childrern’s Choice 2002) Book 6: Storm Rescue: Sunita (2008) Book 7: Teacher's Pet: Maggie (2009) Book 8: Trapped: Brenna (2009) Book 9: Fear of Falling: David (2009) Book 10: Time to Fly (2009) Book 11: Masks (TBA) Book 12: End of the Race (TBA)

6. Author’s Works: Children’s Books Ndito Runs (1996) Turkey Pox (1996) (Parent’s Choice Honor Book) No Time for Mother's Day (2001) The Big Cheese of Third Street (2002) Thank You, Sarah! The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving (2002) (Once Upon a World Children’s Book Award 2003; The Center for Children’s Books Best Books 2002) Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution (2008) Saudi Arabia (Country Explorers) (2009) The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School (2009)

7. Projects: Read Speak and Catalyst. These two stories take place in the same school, Merryweather High School. What connections link the two books? Read Wintergirls and Prom. These two stories contrast greatly. Compare Lia’s parents to Ashley’s parents and compare/ contrast the girls’ relationships with their parents. Select any one Laurie Halse Anderson modern young adult novel and explain how it connects to today’s teenagers and their issues. Read Twisted. How well does Anderson write from a teenage male perspective? Where/what are her strengths and weaknesses?

9. H.W. WilsonCo. (2009, March). Tenth Book of Junior Authors and Illustrators: Laurie Halse Anderson. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.wpunj.edu:2282/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.33

10. Bookrags website (2010, March): http://www.bookrags.com/biography/laurie-halse-anderson-aya/

11. ENoteswebsite (2010, March): http://www.enotes.com/topic/Laurie_Halse_Anderson