Gary Paulsen
Selected Bibliography
Mr. Tucket (1968)
Tiltawhirl John (1977)
The Sweeper (1981)
Dogsong (1985)
Hatchet (1986)
Murphy (1987)
The Boy Who Owned the School (1990)
The Cookcamp (1991)
The Case of the Dirty Bird (1992)
The Time Hackers (2005)
Road Trip (2013)
Gary Paulsen (May 17, 1939-January 10, 2019) is one of America’s most beloved writers for young people. He was born in Minneapolis in 1939 but moved around with his parents, living in Chicago, the Philippines, and Hawaii. After a difficult childhood, Paulsen ran away from home as a teenager to travel with a carnival. Paulsen tried many jobs, working his way across the U.S. as a ranch hand, sailor, and engineer.
Paulsen finished his first novel after moving to Minnesota’s North Woods, and completing two Iditarod sled races gave him material for his books. His novels, which include Hatchet, Dogsong, and The Winter Room, often revolve around themes of coming-of-age, wilderness, and survival both physical and mental. In 1997, six of Paulsen’s works won the ALA Margaret Edwards Award for his contributions to young adult literature, and he won a Newbery Medal for Hatchet.