Gary Paulsen

Born into the middle of World War II, Gary Paulsen's turbulent childhood provided plenty of subject matter for his bestselling novels, and the librarians in his life gave him the inspiration and support to explore the world through books. As a soldier himself, his storytelling technique developed, and for the first time he shares his own.

When Johanna shows up at the beginning of summer to house-sit next door to Finn, he has no idea of the profound effect she will have on his life by the time summer vacation is over.

During World War II, while his father is in Europe fighting and his mother is working in Chicago, a five-year-old boy goes to live with his grandmother in a rural Norwegian American community in Minnesota. Based on events from the author's life.

A canoe ride on a northern lake during a summer day reveals the quiet beauty and wonder of nature in and around the peaceful water.

Will veered to the left and ducked into one of the passages leading away from the palace room. Sarah stumbled and fell. Will pulled her up. They could hear the big man closing in on them. Will took another left turn and then another. Scarface’s footsteps echoed in their ears.
 
Deep in the damp, dark caverns of the Sacramento Mountains, Will Little Bear Tucker and his friend Sarah Thompson discover the secret of an ancient...

Instead of being rescued from a plane crash, as in the author's book Hatchet, this story portrays what would have happened to Brian had hebeen forced to survive a winter in the wilderness with only his survival pack and hatchet.

After having survived alone in the wilderness, Brian finds that he can no longer live in the city but must return to the place where he really belongs.

Although dismayed and embarrassed when his father takes him on the road to get rich preaching the word of God, fourteen-year-old Steven finds himself caught up in the money and the things it can buy.

After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the Canadian wilderness, learning to survive with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother, and learning also to survive his parents' divorce.

Francis Tucket now feels more confident that he can handle just about anything. A year ago, on the wagon train, he was kidnapped from his family by a Pawnee hunting party. Then he escaped with the help of the mountain man Mr. Grimes. Now that he and Mr. Grimes have parted ways, Francis is heading west on his Indian pony, crossing the endless prairie, trying to find his family.
After a year with Mr. Grimes, Francis has learned to live by the harsh...