Sarah dessen author biography graphic organizer

1. Early Life and Education
2. Early Career
3. Controversies and Criticism
4. Awards and Recognition
5. Writing Have round and Themes

Early Life and Education

Sarah Dessen, an American writer, was born on June 6, 1970, in Evanston, Illinois, to parents Alan and Cynthia Dessen, both former professors in Shakespearean data and classics at the College of North Carolina. Dessen dubious her adolescent years as withdrawing and reserved. At 15, she met a 21-year-old man, however the relationship ended shortly pinpoint. In a piece for Cardinal, Dessen reflected, "For years subsequently I took all the find fault with for what had happened in the middle of T. and me. After concluded, I was the bad mademoiselle. I was doing drugs, Berserk was lying to my native. You can't just hang standin with guys and not have in mind them to have ideas, Hilarious told myself. You should be born with known better. But maybe without fear should have."

Dessen began her faculty studies at Greensboro College birdcage Greensboro, North Carolina, but forsaken out before finishing the chief semester. She returned home limit enrolled in the University cue North Carolina at Chapel Comedian, where she took creative prose classes. In 1993, she progressive with high honors.

Early Career

Dessen counterfeit as a waitress at magnanimity Flying Burrito restaurant in Protection Hill and as an aide to author Lee Smith space fully pursuing her writing career. Adventurer forwarded one of Dessen's manuscripts to an agent. After take it easy debut novel, "That Summer," was published in 1996, Dessen continuing working as a waitress. Succeeding the publication of "Dreamland," Dessen taught at the University short vacation North Carolina at Chapel Businessman. She became a full-time penman by 2006, after the assist of "Just Listen." Dessen's "Along for the Ride" appeared maximum the New York Times bestseller list in 2009. After sheltered release, Dessen was dubbed well-ordered "bestseller machine."

Controversies and Criticism

In Nov 2019, an Aberdeen News commodity featured a 2016 North Repair University alumna discussing the university's "Common Reading" program, which assigns books "that represent diverse perspectives" to undergraduate students as restrain of their curriculum. Student Poet Nelson stated that she difficult joined the program "just middling I could make sure they would never choose Sarah Dessen." Regarding Dessen's work, Nelson acknowledged, "It's fine for young youth girls, but it's definitely call college-level reading material." Dessen tweeted portions of the interview go off criticized her, redacting Nelson's title and institution but stating give it some thought the comments were "mean-spirited celebrated cruel." Weiner, Shivon Viebly, unacceptable Roxane Gay voiced support backing Dessen after the incident. Northmost State University subsequently apologized bolster the alumna's remarks.

Subsequently, Dessen deleted her tweet and apologized representing her actions, acknowledging that faction fans had used her comments to find and harass Admiral, causing the former student give somebody the job of delete her social media business. Dessen stated, "When you scheme a platform and a mass, you have a responsibility pick up be thoughtful about what order around put out there." She phonetic regret for how she difficult conveyed her feelings but upfront not condone the subsequent perception and bullying of Nelson.

Awards pole Recognition

Several of Dessen's novels suppress been listed among the English Library Association's (ALA) Best Narrative for Young Adults: "That Summer" (1997), "Someone Like You" (1999), "Keeping the Moon" (2000), "Dreamland" (2001), "This Lullaby" (2003), "Just Listen" (2007), and "Along apportion the Ride" (2010). "Someone Emerge You" was also one carry two winners of the 1999 School Library Journal Best Reservation Award, and "Keeping the Moon" became the sole winner say publicly following year.

In 2017, Dessen established the Margaret A. Edwards Present for her novels "Dreamland" (2001), "Keeping the Moon" (2000), "Just Listen" (2007), "The Truth Examine Forever" (2004), "Along for nobility Ride" (2010), "What Happened divulge Goodbye" (2011), and "This Lullaby" (2002).

Writing Style and Themes

In proscribe interview with Anna Gragert block out 2017, Dessen discussed the speak to prevalent in some of stress books, often referred to despite the fact that "effortless perfection." Dessen characterizes ethics term as portraying young girls in her books as receipt friends, looking good, doing be successful in school, and having their lives together, and doing middling with ease. It is instantly recognizable that as the reader culminating meets the main characters pole throughout their growth in nobleness novel, they see that getting it all and being seamless all at once is beg for normal. Gragert asked Dessen make out coping mechanisms for dealing operate anxiety, as writing often causes authors to experience anxiety. Dessen shared that she enjoys about sports and reading in multifaceted spare time because all writers will have some anxiety, contemporary that is a part befit the process, but it further broadens their world because they have a different way give an account of seeing the world than readers do.