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Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.

A video interview with

Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry is the highly acclaimed author of more than 30 books for young people. Over the years, she has received numerous awards, including two Newbery Medals. Lowry has written such a wide range of books that her body of work cannot be categorized easily.

Her genres range from contemporary fiction to historical fiction to fantasy to autobiographical. Her audiences range from elementary school children all the way up to young adults. Some of Lowry's books are light-hearted, but others deal with serious and somber topics. Her most well-known novel, The Giver, is set in a future dystopia where sameness and conformity rule.

Click on the links below to watch this interview online or to download it. You can also read the interview transcript or a short biography of Lois Lowry, or see a selected list of her children's books.

View online

  • On the move (1:00)

    In this video clip, Lois Lowry explains why she grew up in so many different places.

  • A poet in pajamas (1:52)

    Find out how little Lois Lowry's love for poetry paid off in unexpected ways.

  • An interrupted education (1:29)

    After dropping out of college, getting married, and having four children, Lois Lowry returned to school to finish her degree.

  • A love for words (1:15)

    Even if Lois Lowry were married to Donald Trump, she would still be writing.

  • A Summer to Die (2:53)

    In this video clip, Lowry tells the story behind her first book for young readers.

  • The Giver (3:29)

    In this video clip, Lois Lowry discusses her popular, provocative, and Newbery-Medal-winning novel.

  • Gooney Bird Greene (1:56)

    Find out why this outgoing character is the child that Lois Lowry yearned to be.

  • Revving it up and slowing it down (2:05)

    Listen up, aspiring writers! Here is a master author explaining how she uses pacing and transitions in her stories.

‡ This video clip will appear in Windows Media Player, which most computers already have installed, or you can download it now. Macintosh users can download the free Flip4Mac playback file, which allows you to play Windows Media files in your Quicktime player.

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