Authors Share Impressions of Plum Creek Festival

by April Bayer

Authors Laurie Halse Anderson and Steve Sheinkin, who write books for children and young adults, took some time to talk to the Sower about their experiences at the Plum Creek Children’s Literacy Festival on Oct. 6.

Anderson is known for her historical fiction and her books for young adults that acknowledge difficult issues students face on a daily basis, a genre Anderson calls “resilience literature.” “Speak,” one of her most well-known books, which tells the story of a sexual assault survivor, has recently received renewed attention in the wake of the Time’s Up and #MeToo movements.

Sheinkin, who was formerly employed as a textbook writer, now writes historical nonfiction books, mainly for readers in the middle grades or junior high. He spoke at the Plum Creek Festival about how he has traveled around the United States and explored many libraries and texts to research his books.