Lowry, Lois (1937-…), is an American author whose fiction for young adults explores serious issues. She won the 1990 and 1994 Newbery Medals for Number the Stars (1989) and The Giver (1993). In Number the Stars, Lowry describes the experiences of a Danish family who shelter a Jewish girl from Nazi invaders during World War II (1939-1945). The Giver is the first of four related science-fiction novels about strictly controlled societies of the future. The other three novels are Gathering Blue (2000), Messenger (2004), and Son (2012). The Giver is a chilling portrait of a country in which some people are allowed to decide the fate of all others. Gathering Blue is set in a grim society that artists play a vital role in improving. Messenger takes place seven years after the action in Gathering Blue. Son draws on characters from the earlier novels who reunite for a final confrontation with evil forces.
Lois Ann Hammersberg was born on March 20, 1937, in Honolulu, Hawaii. She married Donald Lowry, a naval officer and later a lawyer, in 1956. Lois Lowry began her career writing about youngsters who face serious challenges, such as a death in the family, adoption, and moving. A Summer to Die (1977), her first novel, established Lowry as an important author of young adult fiction. Lowry also wrote The Silent Boy (2003), which describes a friendship between a 9-year-old girl and a mentally challenged farm boy in the early 1900’s. Gossamer (2006) tells about a girl who has the ability to create dreams.
Lowry has also written a humorous series about a rebellious girl named Anastasia, beginning with Anastasia Krupnik (1979). Crow Call (2009) is an autobiographical picture book. Bless This Mouse (2011) is a novel about a colony of mice living in a church. The Willoughbys (2008) is a parody (humorous reimagining) of some common themes from old children’s books, as the Willoughby children and their wicked parents try to get rid of each other. It was followed by a sequel, The Willoughbys Return (2020). The Windeby Puzzle (2023) imagines the life of a teenager who lived about 2,000 years ago and whose remains were discovered in northern Germany.
