Lois Lowry joins the Professional Book Nerds podcast
The iconic author shares her thoughts on memories and stories
Lois Lowry is a living legend. Her books have won just about every major award out there – including two Newbery Medals – and sold millions of copies around the world. These books are designed not just to be enjoyable but to challenge readers of all ages to evaluate the world around us. Her stories ask the reader to question authority, analyze racism, and reflect on terminal illness. They ask us to come to terms with the sheer magnitude of world wars. This has led many schools to make her works required reading, while others have decided to ban them.
As she puts it, “It is very risky. But each time a child opens a book, he pushes open the gate that separates him from Elsewhere.”
On the Horizon
Lois Lowry is an institution. She has taught us to appreciate the families we have, both found and traditional. Lois showed us the importance of music and color. She allows us to reflect on where we’ve come from and where we’re going.
At her core, Lois Lowry is a lover of storytelling. I know this because we recently brought her on our Professional Book Nerds podcast, where she spent an hour telling us countless stories about the kernels of truth behind her Newbery-winning books, the humor of having her family members study her books, and her life growing up in Hawaii and Japan during World War II and afterward.
This last sentiment is the genesis for her upcoming book On The Horizon, a story in three parts that sparked from seeing a photo of herself on the beach with the U.S.S. Arizona in the background.
Lois Lowry is one of a kind in every possible way. An endlessly talented human with a penchant to sit down and share the lessons she’s learned from a life well-traveled and well-lived. She has inspired generations of readers to not only fall in love with stories but also to appreciate where they come from. Lois Lowry. What a concept.
