An English author of historical fiction for young people, Laird has been consistently praised for writing moving, thought-provoking works that successfully blend real facts, people, and events with invented characters and situations. Although she has written only three books, Laird is considered one of the most promising creators of young adult literature. The author has set two of her works, Shadow of the Wall and its sequel But Can the Phoenix Sing", in the periods during and immediately following the Holocaust, while her third book, The Forgotten Son, takes place in twelfth-century France. All of Laird's stories feature young men who are searching for their identities during times of social repression, and her works explore sophisticated moral concepts such as the individual's capacity for good and evil and the emergence of courage from oppression.

Recognized for her thorough research, Laird is noted for including an abundance of accurate...