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Hadley Irwin
Pseudonym for two American writers for children who were also Iowa State English professors. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hadley Irwin was the pseudonym of a writing team, consisting of Lee Hadley (10 October 1934 in Earlham, Iowa[1] – 22 August 1995) and Annabelle Irwin (8 October 1915 in Peterson, Iowa – 13 September 1998), both Iowa State English professors.[2][3][4] Their book Abby, My Love, 1985, is considered to be the first in children's literature to deal with incest/child sexual abuse.[2] The pair started writing together in 1979.[5]
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Themes
Hadley Irwin wrote so called 'problem novels' about teenagers, aimed at young adults, for example about alcoholism, racism, antisemitism, incest/child sexual abuse and suicide.[2][3][6] Aside from this primary theme, Irwin often portrays the elderly as human beings with their own hopes, fears, and problems.[7] Books are often set in Iowa, the home state of both Hadley and Irwin.[7] A final theme has to do with the relationships between parents and children.[7]
According to The New York Times, the novel Abby, My Love (1985) was the first novel in children's literature to deal with incest/child sexual abuse.[2] The main character of the book is a girl who is sexually abused by her father.[6]
In spite of the heavy subjects, the books are written with humor, and the main theme is coming of age, and relations between people. Their historic novels are based on facts.[1]
The book We Are Mesquakie We Are One describes the history of the Meskwaki accurately, according to expert Adeline Wanatee.[8][9]
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Reception
According to The New York Times Book Review, The Lilith Summer is "a sympathetic novel of teen-age distress",[10] "in no way a liberationist tract"[11] and "The story is warm and the writing exemplary".[12]
According to Publishers Weekly, Hadley Irwin's "themes are thoughtfully developed and well worth pondering",[13] and Kim/Kimi is "a drama that Irwin spices with naturally amusing episodes".[14]
Some of Hadley Irwin's books have been adapted for the screen. Their books sold steadily in the United States as well as in Europe and in Japan.[3] Abby, My Love (also Atheneum), which focuses on incest, was adapted as a CBS Schoolbreak Special in 1988.[5][15]
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Awards
Hadley Irwin received several literary awards for their books:
- In 1981: an honor book designation from the Jane Addams Peace Association for We Are Mesquakie, We Are One (1980).[7][16]
- In 1982: Society of Midland Authors award for Moon and Me (1981)[7]
- In 1982: ALA Best Young Adult Book Award for What About Grandma? (1982).[7][15]
- In 1982: the Dutch Book Award Zilveren griffel for We Are Mesquakie, We Are One (1980).[17]
- In 1983: the Dutch Book Award Vlag en Wimpel for What About Grandma? (1982).[18]
- In 1985: ALA Best Young Adult Book Award for Abby, My Love (1985)[7]
- In 1986: the Dutch Book Award Vlag en Wimpel for I Be Somebody (1984).[18]
- In 1986: Children's Choice Book award from a joint committee of Children's Book Council and International Reading Association for Abby, My Love (1985)[7]
- In 1988: the Sequoyah Intermediate Book Award for Abby, My Love (1985).
Bibliography
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References
External links
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