In elementary school William Anderson first became interested in history, and this later formed a pattern in his life--reading, teaching, research, and writing. His first "book" was one that he wrote and illustrated on Abraham Lincoln in the fifth grade.
After finishing college, he taught--he has taught all ages, from seventh grade through college--and while in graduate school he began writing for magazines. Since then he has written extensively for dozens of publications, including American History Illustrated, Saturday Evening Post, Christian Science Monitor, The Horn Book Magazine, Travel and Leisure, and others. For children, he contributed articles to Highlights, Jack and Jill, and Kid's Club.
His many books on Ingalls-Wilders of the "Little House" renown are published by Harper Collins. "I have always been able to write about topics that interest me," he says. "Then the research and making of the book is never dull."
An upcoming book in the popular Sleeping Bear Press series of rhyming state books is one of William Anderson's newest projects. The South Dakota book is entitled M IS FOR MOUNT RUSHMORE. (www.sleepingbearpress.com )
Anderson always travels to the locales of projects he is working on. The World of the Trapp Family took me to Austria and Vermont, with other stops in between," he says, "this is the story of the real family known from 'The Sound of Music', but their history and music and culture is far more fascinating than the movie version." Much of his research involved interviews with the members of the Trapp Family.
Anderson has received many recognitions for his writings, including the Western History Association's Billington Award, the Robinson award of the South Dakota State Historical Society, National Endowment for the Humanities awards and National Council of Social Studies.
William Anderson had the pleasure of being invited to the White House on September 17, 2002 for the third of Laura Bush's
American Authors Symposiums. The First Lady, a former teacher and librarian, assembled scholars, authors and historians for a fascinating conference on the frontier experience. Her previous subjects have been Mark Twain and the Harlem Renaissance.
His home is in Michigan, where he is constantly busy with teaching and writing.
Author, Historian, Lecturer, and Wilder Biographer
As a companion to their PIONEER GIRL, Dan Andreasen and William Anderson have collaborated again to depict the life of another American hero, Mark Twain. This book is aimed at beginning readers, but will also serve as a quick update on the legendary Missouri-born Sam Clemens, who, as Mark Twain, delighted the world with stories of childhood in THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER and THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN. William Anderson researched Twain's life and visited his homesites and Dan Andreasen pored over historical photos and drawings to re create this legendary American life.
A Harper Collins book
Mark Twain book info at harpers
Prairie Girl
