Gary Paulsen was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1939. After a rough childhood, he ran away from home when he was 14 to join the carnival as a Tilt-a-Whirl operator. This lead to his many occupations including the Army at 17, ranch hand, construction worker, truck driver, Iditarod racer, and finally writer. Gary currently lives with his wife, artist Ruth Wright Paulsen, in a house in New Mexico and on a boat in the Pacific Ocean.
Quotes:
“It's the same with the wilderness. You can be the most popular person in the world, but the bear will still eat your head.”
"For young people, I tell them to read like a wolf eats- Read when they tell you not to read and read what they tell you not to read."
Books:
(Gary Paulsen has written over 175 books. The following list displays many of his juvenile books but is not all inclusive).
Series books:
Brian's Saga
- Hatchet, 1987
- The River, 1991
- Brian's Winter, 1996
- Brian's Return, 1999
- Brian's Hunt, 2003
World of Adventure Series
- The Legend of Red Horse Cavern, 1994
- Rodomonte’s Revenge, 1994
- Escape from Fire Mountain, 1994
- The Rock Jockeys, 1995
- Hook ‘Em, Snotty, 1995
- Danger on Midnight River, 1995
- The Gorgon Slayer, 1995
- Captive!, 1996
- Project: A Perfect World, 1996
- The Treasure of El Patron, 1996
- Skydive!, 1996
- The Seventh Crystal, 1996
- The Creature of Black Water Lake, 1997
- Time Benders, 1997
- Grizzly, 1997
- Thunder Valley, 1998
- Curse of the Ruins, 1998
- Flight of the Hawk, 1998
The Tucket Adventures
- Mr. Tucket, 1995
- Call Me Francis Tucket, 1996
- Tucket’s Ride, 1998
- Tucket’s Gold, 2001
- Tucket’s Home, 2002
“True Adventure”
- Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod, 1994
- Father Water, Mother Woods, 1994
- My Life in Dog Years, 1998
- Guts: The True Stories behind Hatchet and the Brian Books, 2001
- Caught by the Sea - My Life on Boats, 2001
- How Angel Peterson Got His Name, 2003
Other Fiction
- Tiltawhirl John, 1977
- The Boy Who Owned the School, 1990
- Harris and Me, 1993
- The Monument, 1993
- Sisters/Hermanas, 1993
- The Legend of Bass Reeves, 1994
- The Haymeadow, 1994
- Nightjohn, 1995
- The Schernoff Discoveries, 1997
- Alida’s Song, 1999
- Sarny, 1999
- Soldier’s Heart, 2000
- The Glass Café, 2003
- Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day, 2004
- The Quilt, 2004
- The Amazing Life of Birds: The Twenty-Day Puberty Journal of Duane Homer Leech, 2006
- Lawn Boy, 2007
- Notes from the Dog, 2009
- Lawn Boy Returns, 2010
- Masters of Disaster, 2010
- Mudshark, 2010
- Woods Runner, 2010
- Liar, Liar, 2011
- Paintings from the Cave: Three Novellas, 2011
- The Beet Fields, 2011 reprint
- Canyons, 2011 reprint
A Sampling of Awards:
3 Newbery Honor books
- The Winter Room (1990)
- Hatchet (1988)
- Dogsong (1986)
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
- 1997: Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers: Reflections on Being Raised by a Pack of Sled Dogs
- 1998: The Schernoff Discoveries
- 1999: Soldier’s Heart
- 2001: The Beet Fields
- 2004: How Angel Peterson Got His Name & Other Outrageous Tales About Extreme Sports
ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers 1997: Brian’s Winter
1997 Margaret A. Edwards Award for his lifetime achievement in writing for young adults
In 2004, Gary made the “Most Frequently Challenged Author List”
ALA Best Audiobooks 2012: Paintings from the Cave
Author Website:
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen
