Laurie Halse Anderson is a renowned American writer, celebrated for her impactful children's and young adult novels. Born Laurie Beth Halse on October 23, 1961, she has made significant contributions to young adult literature.

Her novel Speak, published in 1999, brought her initial recognition and has become a modern classic, translated into 35 languages and selling over 3.5 million copies. Anderson's work extends beyond novels, as she has also contributed as a scriptwriter for DC Comics.

In 2010, Anderson was honored with the Margaret A. Edwards Award by the American Library Association, acknowledging her substantial contribution to young adult literature. More recently, in 2023, she was named the Laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, often considered the 'Nobel Prize for Children's Literature'.

Anderson continues to be a passionate advocate for literature, as well as a voice for various causes, weaving her personal experiences and historical contexts into her writing.