Author Study of

Gary Paulsen

“Read like a wolf eats”

Published works[edit] Brian's SagaHatchet (1987) (Has an alternate

ending which makes great continuity with Brian's Winter)

The River (Hatchet: The Return) (1991)

Brian's Winter (Hatchet: Winter) (1996)

Brian's Return (Hatchet: The Call) (1999)

Brian's Hunt (2003)[edit] Murphy seriesMurphy (1987)Murphy's Gold (1988)Murphy's Herd (1989)Murphy's War (1990)Co-authored by Brian Burks

Murphy's Stand (1993)Murphy's Ambush (1995)Murphy's Trail (1996)[edit] Alida's seriesThe Cookcamp (1991)Alida's Song (1999)The Quilt (2004)[edit] World of AdventureThe Legend of Red Horse Cavern

(1994)Rodomonte's Revenge (Video

Trap) (1994)Escape from Fire Mountain (1995)The Rock Jockeys (Devil's Wall)

(1995)Hook 'Em Snotty! (1995)Danger on Midnight River (1995)The Gorgon Slayer (1995)Captive! (1995)Project - A Perfect World (Perfect

Danger) (1996)The Treasure of El Patron

(Treasure Ship) (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)[edit] Tales to Tickle the

FunnyboneThe Boy Who Owned the School

(1990)Harris and Me (1993)The Schernoff Discoveries (1997)The Glass Cafe (2003)Molly McGinty

Has a Really Good Day (2004)

The Amazing Life of Birds: The Twenty-Day Puberty Journal of Duane Homer Leech

(2006)Lawn Boy (2007)[edit] Culpepper AdventuresThe Case of the Dirty Bird (1992)Dunc's Doll (1992)Culpepper's Cannon (1992)Dunc Gets Tweaked (1992)Dunc's Halloween (1992)Dunc Breaks the Record (1992)Dunc and the Flaming Ghost

(1992)Amos Gets Famous (1993)Dunc and Amos Hit the Big Top

(1993)Dunc's Dump (1993)Dunc and the Scam Artists (1993)Dunc

and Amos and the Red Tattoos (1993)

Dunc's Undercover Christmas (1993)

Wild Culpepper Cruise (1993)Dunc and the Haunted Castle

(1993)Cowpokes and Desperadoes

(1994)Prince Amos (1994)Coach Amos (1994)Amos and the Alien (1994)Dunc and Amos Meet the Slasher

(1994)Dunc

and the Greased Sticks of Doom (1994)

Amos's Killer Concert Caper (1994)

Amos Gets Married (1995)Amos Goes Bananas (1995)Dunc and Amos Go to the Dogs

(1996)Amos and the Vampire (1996)Amos and the Chameleon Caper

(1996)Amos Binder, Secret Agent (1997)Dunc and Amos on Thin Ice

(1997)Super Amos (1997)[edit] Other novelsSarnyNightjohnThe Special War (1966)Some Birds Don't Fly (1968)The Death Specialists (1976)The Implosion Effect (1976)C. B. Jockey (1977) (alternate title

of The C.B. Radio Caper?)The Golden Stick (1977)Tiltawhirl John (1977) (also known

as Tasting the Thunder in the UK)

The C. B. Radio Caper (1977)Foxman (1977)

Winterkill (1977)The Curse of the Cobra (1977)The Green Recruit (1978)The Spitball Gang (1980)Compkill (1981)The Sweeper (1981)Clutterkill (1982)Dancing Carl (1983)Popcorn Days and Buttermilk Nights

(1983)Tracker (1984)Dogsong (1985)Sentries (1986)The Crossing (1987)The Island (1988)Night Rituals (1989)The Voyage of the Frog (1989)The Winter Room (1989)Canyons (1990)Kill Fee (1990)The Night the White Deer Died

(1990)The Monument (1991)Clabbered Dirt, Sweet Grass

(1992)The Haymeadow (1992) (known

as The Fourteenth Summer in the UK)

A Christmas Sonata (1992)Dogteam (1993)Sisters / Hermanas (1993)

(includes Spanish translation by Gloria de Aragon Andujar)

The Car (1994)The Tent (1995)The Tortilla Factory (1995)The Rifle (1995)Worksong (1997)Ice Race (1997) (alternate title of

Woodsong or Winterdance?)The Transall Saga (1998) (known

as Blue Light in the UK)Soldier's Heart (1998)Canoe Days (1999)The Beet Fields (2000)The White Fox Chronicles (2000)The Time Hackers (2005)The Legend of Bass Reeves

(2006)Mudshark (2009)Notes from the Dog (2009)Woods Runner (2010)Lawn BoyLawn Boy Returns (2010)Masters of Disaster (2010)Liar, Liar (March 8, 2011)Guts (autobiography) (2001)[edit] Non-FictionThe Grass-Eaters: Real Animals

(1976)The Small Ones (1976)

Hitting, Pitching, and Running (1976)

Martin Luther King: The Man Who Climbed the Mountain

(1976)Dribbling, Shooting, and Scoring

(1976)Careers in an Airport (1977)Tackling, Running, and Kicking

(1977)Riding, Roping, and Bulldogging

(1977)Farm: A History And Celebration of the American Farmer

(1977)Running, Jumping, and Throwing

(1978)Successful Home Repair: When Not to Call the Contractor

(1978)Forehanding and Backhanding

(1978)Hiking and Backpacking (1978)Downhill, Hotdogging

and Cross-Country (1979)Facing Off, Checking and Goaltending

(1979)Launching, Floating High and Landing

(1979)Pummeling, Falling and Getting Up-Sometimes

(1979)Track, Enduro and Motocross

(1979)Canoeing, Kayaking, and Rafting

(1979)Going Very Fast in a Circle (1979)Athletics: Focus On Sport (1980)Ice Hockey: Focus On Sport

(1980)Motor Cycling: Focus On Sport

(1980)Motor Racing: Focus On Sport

(1980)Skiing: Focus On Sport (1980)Tennis: Focus On Sport (1980)T.V. and Movie Animals (1980)

(with Art Browne, Jr)Money Saving Home Repair Guide: Successful Home Improvement Series

(1981)Sailing: From Jibs to Jibing (1981)Beat the System: A Survival Guide

(1982)The Madonna Stories (1988)Woodsong (1990)Eastern Sun, Winter Moon (1993)Full of Hot Air: Launching, Floating High, And Landing

(1993)A Guide for Using Hatchet in the Classroom

(1994)

Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod (1994)

Father Water, Mother Woods (1994)

Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers (1996)

My Life in Dog Years (1998)Pilgrimage on a Steel Ride: A Memoir of Men and Motorcycles

(1997)All Aboard: Stories from Big Books

(1998) (various authors, including Paulsen excerpt?)

Zero to Sixty: A Motorcycle Journey Through Midlife (1999) (reprint title of Pilgrimage on a Steel Ride)

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)

[edit] Awards and recognition

Newbery Honor Book 1986 - Dogsong[8]

Newbery Honor Book 1988 - Hatchet[8]

Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards 1989 - The Winter Room[9]

Newbery Honor Book 1990 - The Winter Room[8]

Sequoyah Book Award 1990 Young Adult - Hatchet[10]

Western Writers of America Golden Spurs Award - The Haymeadow

Margaret Edwards Award 1997 Winner[11]

Sequoyah Book Award 2010 Children's - Lawn Boy[10]

“Paulsen is a master storyteller who has written more than 175 books and some 200 articles and short stories for children and adults.”—Random House Pub.

Like all writers, Gary Paulsen’s writing is based on his life experiences, but most writers don’t have access to the kind of action-packed, adventurous life that is Gary Paulsen’s.

Gary Paulsen: Art Imitating Life

Gary Paulsen: Art Imitating Life

For example, “Me” in Harris and MeCopyright 1993

Born in 1939, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to parents who “was puke drunks,” Gary Paulsen learned as a small boy that he would have to take care of himself in this life. Paulsen has written a similar painful beginning for many of his young characters in his novels.

Gary Paulsen: Art Imitating Life

Delacorte Press Copyright 2000

In his novel The Beet Fields, the 16 year old protagonist, referred to only as “the boy,” runs away from his abusive, dysfunctional home and works in a carnival, labors in the beet fields, and comes of age—a mirror image of the author’s life at 16.

Gary Paulsen: Art Imitating Life“A lot of the books—My Life In Dog Years,

How Angel Peterson Got His Name, The Beet Fields, Caught By The Sea, Father Water Mother Woods, A Christmas Sonata, Guts, Alida's Song and The Quilt—are about me and my life so I guess I'm a real life character.”—from www.randomhouse.com Gary Paulsen webpage

Run away from home at age 14

Traveled with a carnival Worked on a farm Been an electronics

engineer Worked in construction Been a ranch hand, a

truck driver, and a sailor Run the 1800 mile

Iditarod in Alaska twice Worked as a satellite

technician for an aerospace firm

Spent a year as a Hollywood magazine

proofreader Written over 175 books

in many genres Been married twice Raised three children,

two boys and a girl Fished Hunted Flown airplanes Been a soldier in the US

Army

And…

Gary Paulsen has…

Newbery Honor Book 1986 - Dogsong Newbery Honor Book 1988 - Hatchet Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards 1989 - The

Winter Room Newbery Honor Book 1990 - The Winter Room Sequoyah Book Award 1990 Young Adult -

Hatchet[10]

Western Writers of America Golden Spurs Award - The Haymeadow

Margaret Edwards Award 1997 Winner Sequoyah Book Award 2010 Children's - Lawn Boy

Won the following awards:

Soldier's Heart Harris and Me (my personal favorite!)

Dogsong Nightjohn

Paulsen’s Own Top 4 Recommendations:

He shows respect for his adolescent audience; he doesn’t “talk down” to them.

He uses vivid images in his writing to make his stories come alive.

His characters are real and believable—they look, sound, and act like people in our everyday lives.

The stories are fast paced, believable, exciting, and often humorous.

The problems the protagonists face reflect those of everyday, real kids.

About his writing:

Paulsen’s love of books began when he went into a library, seeking a warm place on a cold day. The librarian gave him a library card, and he began reading one book after another.

Now Gary Paulsen writes, “18-, 19-, 20-hour days completely committed to work. Totally viciously, obsessively committed to work, the way I’d run dogs” (Paulsen ).

Kids love to read his books; they send him as many as 200 letters a day!

About his writing: cont’d.

Gary PaulsenCurrently lives with his wife, Ruth, dividing his time between a home in New

Mexico and a boat in the Pacific Ocean

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ADtOjxmRs

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Paulsen http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ADtOjxmRs www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/

gary-paulsen www.yourlibrary.ws/childrens_webpage/j-aut

hor52000.htm

References: