YA Authors You Need to Read: M.T. Anderson

This article first appeared on the examiner on August 5, 2010.

M.T. (Matthew Tobin) Anderson is an award-winning author of books for kids and adults of all ages. After publishing his first book, “Thirsty,” Anderson received his MFA in Creative Writing from Syracuse University. He later went on to teach in the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College. Anderson’s books have won the National Book Award, the LA Times Book Prize and been honor books for ALA’s Printz Award. In addition to novels he has also published numerous short stories. Even after reading one of those stories, “Barcarole for Paper and Bones” in Gary Paulsen’s “Shelf Life: Stories by the Book” nearly seven years ago, it is still haunting. Anderson’s writing has a way of staying with the reader long after the last page is turned.

One of Anderson’s most thought-provoking novels is “Feed.” In the futuristic Feed world every person has a computer chip in his brain that allows immediate access to the internet. While this might sound cool for a few minutes, the problems with a direct link to the internet are quickly revealed. People are bombarded with ads and pressured into going along with the crowd. Individualism is feared and forbidden. With information so easily downloaded into the brain actual intelligence suffers. “Feed” is an important novel for both teens and adults, especially this generation that is so easily connected to the internet with mobile phones.

Other Books

“Thirsty”
“Burger Wuss”
“The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Part 1: the Pox Party”
“The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Part 11: the Kingdom of the Waves”
“The Game of Sunken Places”
“Whales on Stilts”
“The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen”
“Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware”
“The Suburb Beyond the Stars”

You can find more information about Anderson at his website.

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