2008 Speakers
Joan Bauer
A native of River Forest, Illinois, Joan Bauer is the author of several young adult novels that are characterized by her ability to explore difficult issues with humor and hope. Bauer explains, “My best times as a writer are when I'm working on a book and laughing.... I want to create stories that link life's struggles with laughter. I believe so strongly that laughter is a gift we've been given as human beings, not just to make us feel good, but to empower us to overcome dark times.” Bauer is a New York Times best-selling author whose numerous accolades include the Newbery Honor Medal (Hope Was Here, 2000), LA Times Book Prize, Christopher Award, and a Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Her book Rules of the Road (1998) was selected as one of the top young-adult books of the last twenty-five years by the American Library Association. Bauer lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and daughter.
Speaker Links
Visit Bauer's home page.
Read an interview with Bauer.
Read a review of Bauer's book Best Foot Forward (2006).