Virginia Festival of the Book featuring Laurie Halse Anderson on "Rebellion 1776"

About the Book: Rebellion 1776

When her father goes missing, thirteen-year-old Elspeth Culpepper is left alone during the Siege of Boston, while a smallpox epidemic rages. Many don't believe in inoculation, and others swarm into the city, desperate for the procedure. Immune from a childhood illness, Elspeth seeks refuge—and finds work—in a wealthy household, one experiencing its own divisions. But will she ever see her father again? In what Booklist describes as "a thoroughly researched, emotionally resonant historical novel," Laurie Halse Anderson has created another impactful historical fiction book for young people, one with the nuance and complexity to appeal to adult readers.

This program is presented in partnership with the 2026 Virginia Festival of the Book, running from March 20-22 in Charlottesville, Virginia. This beloved annual tradition brings together writers and readers to promote books, reading, literacy, and literary culture. Themed broadly around the concept of “Revolutions” in recognition of the America’s 250th anniversary, the 2026 Virginia Festival of the Book will include a stellar slate of authors and events, bringing out the best in poetry, children’s literature, fiction and non-fiction. The full festival schedule can be found at vabook.org.

About the Author

Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author whose writing spans young readers, teens, and adults. Combined, her books have sold more than 8 million copies. Her book, SHOUT, a memoir-in-verse about surviving sexual assault at the age of thirteen and a manifesta for the #MeToo era, has received widespread critical acclaim and was Laurie’s eighth New York Times bestselling book.

Two of her novels, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists, and Chains was short-listed for the prestigious Carnegie medal in the United Kingdom. Laurie has been nominated for Sweden’s Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award seven times. Laurie was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award and has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English.

In addition to combating censorship, Laurie regularly speaks about the need for diversity in publishing and is a member of RAINN’s National Leadership Council. She lives in Philadelphia, where she enjoys cheesesteaks while she writes. Find out more about Laurie by following her on Twitter at @halseanderson, Instagram at halseanderson, and Facebook at lauriehalseanderson, or by visiting her website, madwomanintheforest.com.