Author Study Gary Paulsen By Janet Frazier

Introduction Gary Paulsen was born in 1939 in Minnesota. He was raised by a grandmother and his aunts. After running away at 14 to join a carnival, he became a proofreader and taught himself how to be a writer. His first book was published in 1966 and to date has written over 200 books.

Paulsen’s love of the outdoors has influenced his writings Paulsen’s love of the outdoors has influenced his writings. Many of his books deal with the wilderness, wildlife, and nature. His books are generally focused on young adults and include many coming of age themes. Aside from writing, Paulsen has spent many hours running the Iditarod and sailing. He now lives with his wife in New Mexico.

Paulsen’s Book Series The Tucket Adventures Brian’s Saga Murphy Series Alida’s Series Nightjohn Series Culpepper Adventures Tales to Tickle the Funnybone World of Adventure

Hatchet This book tells the very unique story of Brian, a teenager who is stranded in the mountainous woods when the small plane he is riding crashes and the pilot dies. The story delves into the challenges and small joys that he encounters until he is finally rescued. It is easy to find one cheering for Brian as he comes upon each small triumph.

The Tent This book was one of the more intriguing books to me. The main character , Steven, has a father who is a scoundrel. He buys a tent and decides to go about “preaching” revivals in order to get money. From his beginnings as a conniver and womanizer to his humility after he “gets saved”, the reader find himself looking into what could easily be a very real situation. I couldn’t put this book down.

Woodsong This book is an account of Paulsen’s love for the outdoors, and, more specifically, the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska. Paulsen gives a day-to-day look at the happenings as a racer travels across the icy terrain—the harm, joy, and satisfaction of the treacherous race. This gives a frank look from a first-hand perspective of the race.

Canyons This book deals with Brennan and his discovery of an ancient skull found on a walk in a canyon near his home. While he deals with the death of a teenage Native American, he deals with his own struggles at home. While the story line of the Native Americans brings out much of their belief and history, what Brennan deals with is very up-to-date. Students would be able to relate to Brennan and the struggles he faces. I kept hoping for the best for him as I read!

Other Paulsen Books: These are books I have reviewed, read part of, or researched: Brian’s Hunt The Car Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books Mr. Tucket

Some of Paulsen’s Awards: Dancing Carl. ALA Best Book - 1983 Tracker. Society of Midland Authors Book Award – 1985; ALA Best Book - 1984 Dogsong. Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Choice Foundation - 1985 ; Newbery Honor Book – 1986; Children's Book of the Year Award, Child Study Association of America – 1986; Volunteer State Book Award – 1989; ALA Notable and Best Book - 1985 The Crossing. ALA Notable Best Book - 1987 Hatchet. Newbery Honor Book – 1988; ALA Notable Book – 1987; Booklist Editor's Choice citation – 1988; Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award – 1989; Georgia Children's Book Awards - 1991 ; Young Hoosier Book Awards – 1991; Iowa Childrens Choice Award and Iowa Teen Award – 1990; William Allen White Childrens Book Award – 1990; Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award – 1991; Flicker Tale Childrens Book Award – 1990; Ohio Buckeye Childrens Book Awards – 1991; Sequoyah Children and YA Book Awards – 1990; Virginia Young Readers Program – 1990; Golden Archer Little Archer Awards - 1989 The Island. ALA Best Book - 1988 The Voyage of the Frog. Parenting Magazine Reading-Magic Award – 1990; Teachers' Choice Award from International Reading Association – 1990; Best Books of the Year citation from Learning Magazine – 1990; ALA Best Book – 1989; School Library Journal Best Book of the Year - 1989 The Winter Room. Newbery Honor Book – 1990; Judy Lopez Memorial Award – 1990; Parenting Magazine Best Book of the Year – 1990; ALA Notable and Best Book - 1989 The Boy Who Owned the School. Parents' Choice Award - 1991 The Cookcamp. ALA Best Book – 1991; School Library Journal Best Book of the Year - 1991 The Monument. ALA Best Book – 1991; An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists - 1991 The River. IRA/Children's Book Council – 1991; Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year - 1991 Woodsong. Booklist Editor's Choice citation – 1991; Society of Midland Authors Book Award – 1991; Spur Award, Western Writers of America – 1991; Minnesota Book Awards - 1991

Gary Paulsen Websites http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Paulsen http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/iditarod/top_mushers/i ndex.asp?article=gary_paulsen http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/professional- development/childlit/paulsen.html All of these sites give additional information about Paulsen, his life, and his interests.

Activity #1 (Introduction): Introduce Paulsen by taking a walk in the woods. Have students gather as much information as they can and write a poem or short story using what they observe. After discussing what they observe, talk about Paulsen’s love of the outdoors and how he pulls that into the pieces he writes.

Activity #2: Have students read Woodsong in conjunction with the annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Points can be plotted on a map as the race is being held. http://www.iditarod.com/ tells all about the race and has video/audio clips and articles. This is also a great time to draw in information about Alaska, Eskimos, and even government if you discussed Sarah Palin. Students can write a fictitious journal of their own using information that they glean from their readings and research.

Resources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Paulsen http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/professional- development/childlit/paulsen.html http://books.google.com/books?as_auth=Gary+Pauls en&source=an&ei=vxwDS5mpJ8- sngfr_alk&sa=X&oi=book_group&ct=title&cad=auth or-navigational&resnum=4&ved=0CBYQsAMwAw