Gary Paulsen was born on May 17, 1939. As a young boy, he did not like school. One day he wandered into a public library to get warm. The librarian asked him if he wanted a library card, and helped him get books to read. That got him hooked. He had many jobs as an adult before deciding to become an author. He has written more than 175 books for children and adults. Three of his books, Hatchet, Dogsong, and The Winter Room are Newbery Honor books.