Catalyst - Paperback

by Laurie Halse Anderson (Author)

A young teenager has to deal with unexpected chaos in her carefully regimented world--a world set in the same universe as the bestselling novel, Speak.

"It confronts moral issues, religious conundrums, and the dynamics of emotions in young adult lives as two girls driven by the past and present realize their impact on the future."--Kirkus Reviews

One little spark is about to change her life . . .

Kate Malone is a straight-A student, minister's daughter, and ace long-distance runner who thinks she can handle it all, until her organized life starts to fall apart like a chain of chemical reactions. First her neighbors' house burns down and Kate has to share her room with her nemesis, Teri Litch. Meanwhile, the days are ticking by and she's still waiting to hear from the only college she's applied to: MIT. Kate feels that her life is spinning out of control--and then something occurs that truly blows it all apart.

Author Biography

Laurie Halse Anderson has received both the Margaret Edwards Award and the ALAN Award for her contributions to young adult literature. She has also been honored by the National Coalition Against Censorship in recognition of her fight to combat the censoring of literature. She is the author of the groundbreaking National Book Award finalist and Printz Honor Book Speak. She is also author of the critically acclaimed YA books Prom, Twitsted, Catalyst, Wintergirls, and The Impossible Knife of Memory. She has also authored a number of middle grade titles including The Vet Volunteers series, and the historical fiction Seeds of America Trilogy, which includes Forge, ALA Best Book for Young Adults Fever 1793, and the National Book Award finalist and Scott O'Dell Award-winner Chains. She and her husband live in northern New York State.