Jacquelyn Mitchard Spoke at the Sequoya Branch

 

Bestselling author and Madison-area native Jacquelyn Mitchard spoke to a group of enthusiastic fans at a fundraiser for the new Sequoya Library on Thursday, August 14. Mitchard spoke about the important role libraries have performed in aiding her research throughout her writing career. She also spoke about why she has chosen to write a series of novels for young adults. She cited “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “A Tree grows in Brooklyn” as two novels which really speak to the needs and concerns of young people, as opposed to many young adult novels currently being written around themes which authors and reviewers believe are important issues for teens. Though she is in no way trying to compare her work to these classics, Mitchard hopes her new trilogy of teen mysteries will resonate with today’s young adult audience. “The Midnight Twins,” the first novel in the trilogy is about identical twin sisters with psychic powers who were born on New Year’s Eve.

Mitchard’s first novel, “The Deep End of the Ocean,” was named by USA Today as one of the ten most influential books of the past 25 years, second only to J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. “The Deep End of the Ocean” was chosen by Oprah as the first selection for her book club in 1996. Mitchard has written numerous works of fiction for adults, and has been nominated for the Orange Prize for Fiction in Britain. Recently, she has expanded her writings to books for young adults.

 Posted on September 3, 2008

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