She reflected on her girlhood by saying, "New York City neighborhoods were thriving urban villages that children could grow and develop in." In
The Gift-Giver, which describes a foster child who influences others in a positive way with his caring nature, Hansen attempted to recreate the secure atmosphere of an immediate and extended family that she experienced as a young girl. In doing so, she also emphasized the positive forces at work within urban areas to counter such perils as poverty, violence, and drugs. "We forget that there are many people in our so-called slums or ghettos that manage to raise whole and healthy families under extreme conditions," Hansen once commented. "Not every story coming out of the black communities of New York City are horror stories."
Inherits Love of Reading, Writing from Parents
Hansen was influenced to become a writer by both her mother and father, who provided what the author described as an atmosphere "rich in family love and caring." Her mother, who once had aspirations to become a journalist, passed on to Hansen an appreciation for books and reading.
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