Lois Duncan (born April 28, 1934) is an American writer of children's books, best known for young-adult novels of suspense. She wrote two early novels under the pen name Lois Kerry.Duncan received the 1992 Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association for her contribution in writing for teens.Later she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to teach journalism at the University of New Mexico, where she also earned a B.A. in English in 1977. In 1965 she married Don Arquette; they had two children.Duncan is best known for her novels of suspense for teenagers. Some of her works have been adapted for the screen, the most famous example being the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, adapted from her novel of the same title. She in interviews has stated her distaste at her young adult novel becoming a horror comedy film.[citation needed]In 1989 the youngest of Duncan's children, Kaitlyn Arquette, was murdered in Albuquerque under suspicious circumstances. Who Killed My Daughter? relates fact and conjecture about the still unsolved case. Duncan has said that her "dream is to write a sequel to Who killed My Daughter? to give our family's true life horror story a closure. Of course, for that to be possible, Kait's case must be solved."The 1971 children's book Hotel for Dogs has been adapted as a 2009 film of the same name starring Emma Roberts. Duncan appears as an extra in the crowd scene.[citation needed]The ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award recognizes one writer and a particular body of work for "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature". Duncan won the annual award in 1992 and the young adult librarians now name six books published from 1966 to 1987, the autobiographical Chapters and five novels: Ransom, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Summer of Fear, Killing Mr. Griffin, and The Twisted Window. The citation observes, "Whether accepting responsibility for the death of an English teacher or admitting to their responsibility for a hit and run accident, Duncan's characters face a universal truth – your actions are important and you are responsible for them."
Alias
Kerry, Lois (pseudonym); Steinmetz, Lois Duncan (birth name)
Birth date
1934-04-28
Birth name
Lois Duncan Steinmetz
Birth year
1934
Individualised gnd number
119191458
Pseudonym
Lois Kerry
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