Lois Duncan Essay, Research Paper

Lois Duncan is the author of over 40 books, ranging from children’s picture books to adult novels, but she is best known for her young adult suspense novels such as Killing Mr. Griffen and her newest book Gallows Hill . Many of these have been chosen as ALA “Best Books for Young Adults” and Jr. Library Guild Selections, and they have won Young Readers Awards in 16 states and three foreign countries. In 1992, Duncan had recieved the Margaret A. Edwards Award, presented by the School Library Journal and the Young Adult Library Services Association, to honor a living author for a distinguished body of adolescent literature.

Lois Duncan grew up in Sarasota, Florida. From early childhood, she knew she wanted to be a writer. At the age of ten she submitted her first

story to a magazine and at thirteen she made her first sale. Throughout her high school years she wrote regularly for young people’s publications, mostly Seventeen Magazine.

In 1962, Lois Duncan taught for the Journalism Department at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She also continued writing for different magazines. Over 300 of her articles and short stories appeared in magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, McCall s, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, and Readers Digest. Also, for a number of years she was a contributing editor for Womens Day magazine.

Who Killed My Daughter? is the most difficult book Lois Duncan ever had to write. It is the true story of her search to find the truth behind the murder of her eighteen-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, who was the youngest of her five children. The book has been featured on different TV shows such as Good Morning, America , Larry King Live , Unsolved Mysteries , and most recently, Inside Edition . The book was originally written for adults but it has been named a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and an American Library Association Best Book For Young Adults and has been nominated for Young Reader Awards in 9 states.

Lois Duncan writes mostly suspense and mystery novels. Her newest suspense novel is Gallows Hill . It has just made its appearence in book stores and libraries across the nation. The School Library Journal describes the book as an exciting, suspenseful tale that will certainly be welcomed by Duncan s many fans. Gallows Hill is about a girl named Sarah who can see peoples secrets in a simple crystal paperweight. Duncans most recent childrens picture book is The Magic of Spider Women where a young girl learns one of the most important lessons of the Navajo culture.