Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson (born October 23, 1961) is an American writer best known for children's and young adult novels. She received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 2009 for her contribution to young adult literature. She was first recognized for her novel Speak, published in 1999. 2Early life Laurie Beth Halse was born to Rev. Frank A. Halse Jr. and Joyce Holcomb Halse in Potsdam, New York. She grew up there with her younger sister, Lisa. As a student, she showed an early interest in writing, specifically during the second grade. Anderson enjoyed reading—especially science fiction and fantasy—as a teenager, but never envisioned herself becoming a writer. Anderson attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School, in Manlius, New York, a suburb of Syracus