Laurie Halse Anderson

L. Weaver: SLM 504

Mad Woman in the Forest

Wintergirls“Wintergirls is about being haunted by an angry ghost, about being lost, about feeling frozen and not having an ice pick, about being trapped between alive and dead, about pain that leads to self-destruction, about the possibility of happiness.”

~Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls• Wasn’t going to write book

• Flood of fan mail about issue

• Characters began to come to life

• Tons of research

Laurie’s YA Novels

Genres• Realistic Fiction– Writes about hard things because life is hard– Large project: To help teens see their world more

clearly.

• Historical Fiction– American History = Laurie’s life long passion– Philadelphia Yellow Fever Epidemic,

Revolutionary War

Laurie’s Writing“Writing a novel always feels like riding a roller coaster, the kind that makes you hyperventilate, say your prayers, and regret the cheese dog you ate half an hour ago. Once they lock you in your seat, you’re sure you will plunge to a fiery, painful death. When it’s over, you sprint to get back in line, because it was the coolest thing you ever did.”

~Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie’s Writing• Fan Mail feeds her, fills her with life

Laurie’s Writing• Style and Characteristics– Fast moving plot– Lots of dialog– Teenaged characters– Consequences

• Theme– Real life/controversial issues: eating disorders, rape,

suicide, loneliness, depression, sense of identity– Explores masked pain and confusion

Appeal to Young Adults

• Cool covers• Unique Formats:

– Wintergirls = Weight– Speak = Marking Periods– Catalyst = Elements (Solid, Liquid, Gas)– Prom =Very Short– Historical Fiction = Date

• Birthday Cake: Fourth and Fifth level– Finding oneself/friends/enemies– Realistic– Questions about society

If you like Laurie’s books, then you might like…

Self-mutilation; Family Trauma; Correctional Facility; Eating Disorder; Drug Addiction

Drug Addiction; Dysfunctional Relationships; Rape; Pregnancy; Verse Format

Drug Addiction; Identity; Sexual Assault; Hippie Counterculture; Diary Format

Suicide; Rape; Rumors; Confusion; Desperation; Tape Recordings Format

Work Cited• Anderson, Laurie Halse. Mad Woman in the Forest. Laurie Halse Anderson.

14 March 2011. Web. 28 March 2011. • Anderson, Laurie Halse. Wintergirls. Perf. Jeannie Smith. Brillance Audio,

2009. Audiobook Interview. • “Bare Bones: Honest Fiction about Weight and Eating Disorders.”

ReadingRant.org. 25 Jan. 2009. Web. 29 March 2011. • Bucher, Katherine and Kaavonia Hinton.Young Adult Literature:

Exploration, Evaluation and Appreciation. Boston: Pearson Education, 2010.

• Buehler, Jennifer, Ph.D. “Episode 12—A Conversation with Laurie Halse Anderson.” Text Messages: Recommendations for Adolescent

Readers. Readwritething.org. 1 March 2009. Web. 29 March 2011.