Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Lois Lowry

Alyson Ward profiles writer Lois Lowry for the Star-Telegram on occasion of the publication of Gossamer.

In the article, Lowry repsonds to her critics, who have challenged her books around the country for having "disturbing themes."
  • "'I consider it very troubling,' she says. 'I guess it does say that I write to serious and provocative issues. But I'm somebody who cares a great deal about children and their sensitivities. I would never write anything in a million years that would be damaging to children.'"

Lowry also says something I agree with completely about reading fiction as a child: "'I think reading fiction is the way we rehearse our own lives and prepare ourselves for things we are going to encounter...Children should read about loss and pain and sorrow, she says, because kids are going to encounter scary and disturbing things at some point.'"

Isn't that the truth?

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I discovered today while writing this post that Lois Lowry has a blog. (Like most wordsmiths, Lowry does not like the word "blog")