If you love reading books, you’ve probably come across Lois Lowry’s books and might even have read some of them. You might be a fan of her works and have collected all the books she’s written. But the question is this: what do you really know about the author behind “The Giver”, “Number the Stars”, and other popular stories? If you don’t know much about Lois Lowry, browse through this guide and learn interesting facts about her.
1. She Was Born In Hawaii.
Lowry was born on March 20, 1937, in Hawaii. Her parents were Robert Hammersberg (who was a dentist and an officer in the army) and Katherine Gordon. Because of her father’s job, Lowry and her family had to move to several places during her childhood. She spent a few years studying in Japan but eventually returned to the United States to finish high school.
2. She Loves Photography.
Aside from being a great author, Lowry is also a talented photographer. She used to work as a professional photographer, and some of her works were used in the covers of her books.
3. Several Of Her Books Were Inspired By Personal Experiences.
Like many authors, Lowry used the things that happened in her personal life as an inspiration for her stories. Her first book “A Summer to Die” was based on her experiences when her older sister Helen died of cancer in her late twenties. Her popular book “The Giver” was influenced by her father, who began to lose some of his memories when he was in his 90s and eventually forgot all about Helen.
Her memoir “Looking Back” was the result of Lowry’s project for her granddaughter, whose father (Lowry’s son Grey) died when she was still a toddler. Lowry wanted to give her granddaughter a book that would help her know more about her father, and Lowry went through lots of family photos to create the book. This prompted her to look back on her own life and write her memoir.
4. She Has Received Many Awards For Her Books.
Lowry is known for creating thought-provoking books that covered controversial subjects and have caught the attention of many organizations. She has won two Newberry Awards for “The Giver” and “Number the Stars”, and she has also received the Margaret Edwards Award and the Hans Christian Anderson Award.
5. She Was Present During The Filming Of “The Giver.”
Lowry revealed to Buzzfeed that the people behind the movie adaptation of “The Giver” consulted her about the film. They asked her opinion about the screenplay, set design, costume design, and other parts of the movie even though, as Lowry clarified, they were not obligated to do so. The film crew even brought her to South Africa so she could watch the filming and see the movie being made. Lowry reveals that was very pleased with the outcome of the movie and that it maintained the tone of the book even when certain aspects were changed.
Lois Lowry is one of the best authors in modern times, and both children and adults will benefit from reading her interesting and attention-grabbing books.