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Edition 22 (1978) Winner
Lois Duncan
ロイス・ダンカン
Lois Duncan
Pen Names:
Lois Kerry（Pen name used for early novels (romance)）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1934-04-28 （Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.）
- Died
- 2016-06-15 （Bradenton, Florida, U.S.） age 82
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Philadelphia (early life) → Sarasota, Florida (youth) → Albuquerque, New Mexico (mid career) → Bradenton, Florida (later life)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Journalist, Poet, Children's author
- Active Years
- 1947-2016
- Affiliations
- University of New Mexico, Department of Journalism (faculty)
- Influenced By
- L. Frank Baum, George MacDonald (influence: The Princess and the Goblin), P. L. Travers (Mary Poppins)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University | — | — | — | 1952–1953（中途退学） | United States |
| University of New Mexico | — | English | Bachelor of Arts | 1970年代（講師として在職中に在学） | United States |
Duke University
Period:
1952–1953（中途退学）
Country:
United States
Dropped out in 1953 to start a family; did not complete degree at that time
University of New Mexico
English
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Period:
1970年代（講師として在職中に在学）
Year of Graduation:
1977
Country:
United States
Earned BA in English in 1977 while teaching journalism at the university
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Margaret A. Edwards Award | A body of YA work (e.g. Ransom; I Know What You Did Last Summer; Summer of Fear; Killing Mr. Griffin; The Twisted Window; Chapters) | — | American Library Association (YALSA) | 受賞 |
| 2014 | Grand Master Award | — | — | Mystery Writers of America | 受賞 |
| 1966 | Edgar Allan Poe Award (nomination) | Ransom | — | Mystery Writers of America | ノミネート |
Margaret A. Edwards Award
1992
Work:
A body of YA work (e.g. Ransom; I Know What You Did Last Summer; Summer of Fear; Killing Mr. Griffin; The Twisted Window; Chapters)
Organization:
American Library Association (YALSA)
Result:
受賞
Grand Master Award
2014
Organization:
Mystery Writers of America
Result:
受賞
Edgar Allan Poe Award (nomination)
1966
Work:
Ransom
Organization:
Mystery Writers of America
Result:
ノミネート
Awards & Nominations
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
4 appearances
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Edition 0 (2015) Winner
Works
Major Works
Ransom
1966 Young adult / SuspenseA suspense novel about a group of students held captive on a school bus; marked a shift toward suspense in Duncan's work.
responsibilityfeargroup dynamics
I Know What You Did Last Summer
1973 Young adult / SuspenseA story about friends involved in an accident and the subsequent threats and fear that follow; later adapted into a well-known film.
guiltfractured friendshipsrevenge
Adaptations
- [Theatrical film] I Know What You Did Last Summer / Jim Gillespie (1997)
Hotel for Dogs
1971 Children'sA children's story about kids who create a 'hotel' for stray dogs; a popular children's book later adapted for film.
friendshipcare for animalsadventure
Adaptations
- [Theatrical film] Hotel for Dogs / Thor Freudenthal (2009)
Killing Mr. Griffin
1978 Young adult / ThrillerA controversial novel about high-school students whose actions lead to the death of their English teacher; provoked critical debate.
rebellion against authorityresponsibility and consequencesmoral dilemma
Adaptations
- [TV film] Killing Mr. Griffin (1997)
Who Killed My Daughter?
1992 NonfictionA nonfiction account by the author about the 1989 murder of her daughter Kaitlyn; recounts the family's investigation and feelings.
lossfamily anguishinvestigating cold cases
Bibliography
- Love Song for Joyce (as Lois Kerry, 1958)
- Debutante Hill (1959)
- Ransom (1966)
- Hotel for Dogs (1971)
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973)
- Killing Mr. Griffin (1978)
- Who Killed My Daughter? (1992)
- One to the Wolves (2013)
Adaptations
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997, theatrical film)
- Hotel for Dogs (2009, theatrical film)
- Down a Dark Hall (2018, theatrical film)
- Summer of Fear (1978, TV/film)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- concise, clarity-focused prose that builds tensionpsychological depiction from adolescent perspectivescontrast between ordinary life and suspense
- Recurring Motifs
- betrayal among friendsresponsibility and guiltsupernatural elements (psychic phenomena, astral projection)
Health
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Stroke (suffered a series of strokes in later years)晩年Deteriorated health in later years; suffered multiple strokes that affected her before death.
Legacy
Lois Duncan is regarded as a pioneer of young-adult suspense and horror and has been called the 'queen of teen thrillers.' Many of her works were adapted for film and she left a lasting influence on YA literature.
Academic Societies
- Recognized by Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
In Popular Culture
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997 film brought broad popular recognition)
- Hotel for Dogs (2009 film)
Quotes
-
I was a shy, fat little girl; a bookworm and dreamer.
Source: Interview / autobiographical comments (2011)
Trivia
- At 15 she was photographed by her father for the cover of Collier's magazine in 1949.
- Sold her first story at age 13.
- Her youngest daughter Kaitlyn was murdered in 1989; Duncan wrote about the case and helped found a center to assist investigations into cold cases.