Gary Paulsen
(b. 1939)

Novelist, journalist, playwright, and short story writer Gary Paulsen draws from his own outdoor experiences to write for young audiences. Paulsen's own adventures included dogsled racing the Alaskan Iditarod, surviving a Pacific storm in a sailboat, and even working as a rancher in the Midwest. Reflecting his own life, Paulsen's writing features characters who survive against challenging odds and learn something about themselves in the process.

Born in Minnesota, Paulsen attended University of Colorado and has held an assortment of jobs before becoming a writer. He worked as a teacher, actor, director, farmer, truck driver, and singer. Amongst other accomplishments, he has authored numerous award-winning novels and several hundred magazine articles. Three of his best-known works Dogsong (1985), Hatchet (1987), and The Winter Room (1991) were named Newbery Honor Books.

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