Image Credit: Quotefancy

I first discovered Ann M. Martin in elementary school, when I devoured all of The Baby-Sitters Club Little Sister books from my local and school libraries. There were so many!

Ann M. Martin was born on August 12, 1955. She grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. The daughter of a pre-school teacher and a cartoonist, Martin loved creative writing starting in second grade. As she grew, she loved working with children, and decided to become a teacher. As a teenager, she spent summer breaks working at the Eden Institute, helping autistic children.

She attended Smith College, graduating in 1977, having studied early childhood education and child psychology. After graduation, Martin taught fourth and fifth-grade students in Noroton, Connecticut. Her students had a variety of learning challenges, including dyslexia and autism. She has said that working with special needs children influenced her writing.

Martin pursued publishing after teaching. Starting as an editorial assistant, she worked her way up to senior editor at several children’s book publishers, including Pocket Books and Scholastic.

Her first book, Bummer Summer, was published in 1983. She began writing The Baby-Sitters Club series in 1985. She now focuses on single novels, many of which are set in the 1960s.

Martin has been honored with several awards, including the Children’s Choice Award in 1985, and a Newbery Honor in 2003. She started the Ann M. Martin Foundation in 1990, which supports art, education, and literacy programs, as well as programs for abused and stray animals.

Bummer Summer (1983)

This is Martin’s debut novel. I definitely want to read this one.

—

Missing Since Monday (1986)

A girl is kidnapped. Sounds like my kind of book.

—

The Baby-Sitters Club series (1986-2000)

Image Credit: Elle

Martin wrote the original 35 books, and the rest have been ghostwritten.

This is the most complete list that I have come across: List of The Baby-Sitters Club novels.

—

Baby-Sitters Little Sister series (1988-2000)

Image Credit: Amazon

This was the first series I completely devoured, although I don’t think I’ve actually read them all. I really identified with Karen, the main character, throughout elementary school.

—

The California Diaries

Image Credit: Scholastic

This is one series that I discovered while writing this post. I definitely want to read them, since they are journals, and they deal with more mature topics than The Baby-Sitters Club typically covered.

—

A Corner of the Universe (2003)

Image Credit: Scholastic

This was the book that received the Newbery Honor. Hattie turns 12, and her uncle Adam returns home for the first time in ten years. Adam has schizophrenia and autism, and while the other adults struggle to deal with his view of the world, Hattie wants to be a friend.

What about you?

Have you read any of Ann M. Martin’s work?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

Image Credit: AZ Quotes

Laurie Halse Anderson has been one of my favorite authors since I was in high school. I’ve read and re-read many of her books!

Born October 23, 1961, in Potsdam, New York, Anderson enjoyed writing and reading. She has a younger sister. She never saw herself as a writer. When she was a senior in high school, Anderson became an exchange student. She lived on a pig farm in Denmark for 13 months.

After high school, she attended community college. She graduated from Georgetown University in 1984, earning a bachelor’s degree in languages and linguistics.

Her first marriage was to Greg Anderson, and they had two daughters. Years after her divorce, she reconnected with her childhood sweetheart, Scott Larrabee. They married, combining their families. Scott also had two children, so they have four children between them.

Originally a freelance journalist at The Philadelphia Inquirer, she began writing children’s and young adult novels. Her first novel was published in 1996, titled Ndito Runs. She’s also written several works of non-fiction.

Several of her books have made The New York Times Bestseller List, and recognized by the American Library Association (ALA).

Speak (1999)

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Speak was my first introduction to Anderson and her writing. It’s an impressive book that I’ve experienced multiple times, both in personal reading and in several classes between high school and college. Melinda learns to persevere through a traumatic event, horrible rumors, and people attempting to ruin her reputation.

—

Catalyst (2002)

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Catalyst is set in the same high school as Speak. Once again, Anderson did not disappoint with her realism.

—

Prom (2005)

Image Credit: Goodreads

This wasn’t my favorite book, but it was a good read about the drama surrounding high school prom.

—

Twisted (2007)

Image Credit: Goodreads

I remember reading this one only once. I’m adding this to my TBR!

—

Wintergirls (2009)

Image Credit: Amazon

This was probably the most challenging book that I’ve read, aside from the first time I read Speak. She dives deep into mental illness, eating disorders, and friendship. I want to read it again.

What about you?

Have you read any of Laurie Halse Anderson’s work?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

Image Credit: AZ Quotes

I love so many podcasts, which is a great problem to have. Last month, I finally listened to the NPR Fresh Air interview with Tom Perrotta, which originally aired on July 31st.

I remember reading part of Election when I was younger, and I have seen parts of the movie. But, listening to the Fresh Air interview makes me want to re-read it, and read more of his work.

Born in August 1961, Perrotta was raised in New Jersey. His family roots are Italian and Albanian. He is one of three children. He decided early on that he wanted to be a writer. He wrote several short stories for his high school literary magazine. After high school, Perrotta went to Yale University for his bachelor’s degree, and then earned his master’s from Syracuse University. He married in 1991, and lives in Massachusetts, near Boston.

Since 1988, he has published seven novels, multiple short stories, two collections of short stories, two essays, and at least one ghostwritten novel. Several of his works have been turned into screenplays for film and TV. The most recent adaptation was The Leftovers, for HBO.

Election (1998)

Image Credit: Wikipedia

The story involves high school and presidential elections in 1992. I look forward to reading this again, and then watching the movie (1999).

—

Little Children (2004)

Image Credit: Wikipedia

This book is Perrotta’s most-lauded and praised books. This is definitely on my list. Like Election, it was adapted into a film (2006).

—

Mrs. Fletcher (2017)

Image Credit: Amazon

I look forward to reading this. The Fresh Air interview about this book was spellbinding. I wonder if this one will become a film?

What about you?

Have you read any of Tom Perrotta’s work?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

Image Credit: A Geek in Librarian’s Clothing

I first discovered Sharon M. Draper in high school. I found The Battle of Jericho at the Russell Memorial Library in Chesapeake. She introduced me to a whole new world. Through her books, I quickly gained a better understanding of African-American teenagers and their lives. Draper’s writing is incredibly realistic, and I felt connected to many of the characters. I’m adding a few of her books to my TBR, also.

Sharon M. Draper was born August 21, 1948. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she graduated from Pepperdine University. She’s married, and has two children, a son and a daughter.

She was named the 1997 National Teacher of the Year. She has received multiple national and international awards and recognition. Draper is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. Several of her books have been listed on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Hazelwood Trilogy

• Tears of a Tiger (1994)
• Forged by Fire (1997)
• Darkness Before Dawn (2001)

I read this trilogy, one after the other, after reading The Battle of Jericho. It was so life-like, I needed a break after finishing the series. It shows the consequences of driving drunk, to say the least.

—

Jericho series

• The Battle of Jericho (2003)
• November Blues (2007)
• Just Another Hero (2009)

I read The Battle of Jericho first, and then I had to wait until November Blues was published in my senior year of high school. I remember feeling ecstatic when Just Another Hero was announced when I was in college. Like the Hazelwood trilogy, Draper covers many real-life topics in these books, including hazing, teenage pregnancy, tragic deaths, and school shootings, to name a few.

—

Romiette and Julio (1999)

Image Credit: sharondraper.com

I don’t actually remember reading this, so I’m adding it to my TBR.

—

Double Dutch (2002)

Image Credit: Simon & Schuester

Like some of the other books, I don’t remember reading this one. This is also going on the TBR!

—

Copper Sun (2006)

Image Credit: sharondraper.com

This is one of her historical novels. I remember reading parts of it, but I don’t think I finished it. I’m putting this one on my TBR.

—

Fire from the Rock (2007)

Image Credit: Scholastic

This is one of my favorite books from Draper. I love historical novels, and this one is written in journal / diary-style. I definitely want to re-read it soon.

—

Out of My Mind (2010)

Image Credit: Goodreads

This is another book I’m adding to my TBR. It’s told from the perspective of a girl with cerebral palsy. I have deep appreciation for writers that respectfully approach and write about individuals with challenges.

I hope Draper will continue to write and publish! I look forward to reading and re-reading her books, especially her historical novels.

What about you?

Have you read any of Sharon M. Draper’s works?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂