Laurie Halse Anderson's path to writing for young adult readers was indirect, unintentional, and difficult. Although Anderson may never have set out to write for teens, her commitment to creating stories that enrich, disquiet, and guide the teens she admires led to her selection as the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Margaret A. Edwards Award. The author of several highly acclaimed novels-including Speak, Fever 1793, Prom, Chains and Wintergirls-Anderson channels the lives of real readers through her imagination and onto the page, enrapturing those who ultimately see themselves reflected in her tales.

In Laurie Halse Anderson: Speaking in Tongues, Wendy J. Glenn examines the life and works of one of the most popular authors for teens. Drawing from both primary sources (Anderson's writings, published interviews, speeches, the author's blog, and other online sources, as well as a live interview with the author) and secondary sources (reviews of and scholarly articles on her work), Glenn explores the themes and impact of Anderson novels. This richly researched work includes in-depth analyses of each of Anderson's young adult titles, chapters on Anderson's lesser-known writings for children, short stories, and poems, and a synthesis of reviews for each title Anderson has published. Readers of this book will come away with a greater understanding of an author who has demonstrated the marked capacity for writing diverse texts for multiple audiences in varying genres, breaking barriers with each title she creates.