- Jerry Spinelli
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Jerry Spinelli 
Jerry Spinelli signing one of his booksBorn February 1, 1941
Norristown, Pennsylvania, United StatesOccupation Author Nationality American/Italian Genres Children's books, Young adult, Novels Notable work(s) Maniac Magee
Stargirl
WringerNotable award(s) Newbery Medal, ALA Best Book for Young Adults Award Spouse(s) Eileen Spinelli
jerryspinelli.comJerry Spinelli (born February 1, 1941)[1] is an author of children's novels on adolescence and early adulthood. He is best known for the novels Maniac Magee[2] and Wringer.
Spinelli was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania[3] and currently resides in Wayne, PA. At the age of sixteen, his love of sports inspired him to compose a poem about a recent football victory. Later, unbeknownst to him, his father published it in the local newspaper. It was at this time he realized that he would not become a Major League Baseball player, and decided to become a writer instead.[2]
During his time at Gettysburg College, Spinelli spent his time writing short stories and was the editor of the college literary magazine. After graduation, he became a writer and editor for a department store magazine. The next twenty years, he spent his time working ordinary jobs during the day so that he had the energy to write fiction in his spare time. He found himself writing during lunch breaks, on weekends, and after dinner.[4]
His first four novels were written for adults and were all rejected. His fifth novel was also intended for adults, but became his first children's book. This work, Space Station Seventh Grade, was published in 1982.[4]
Spinelli graduated from Gettysburg College in 1963 and acquired his MA from Johns Hopkins University in 1964. He married Eileen Mesi in 1977,[1] who also writes children's books.[4] They have six children and sixteen grandchildren.[3]
Bibliography
Title Publication Awards References Space Station Seventh Grade 1982 Who Put That Hair in My Toothbrush? 1984 Jason and Marceline 1986 Maniac Magee 1990 Newbery Award The Bathwater Gang 1990 Dump Days 1991 Fourth Grade Rats 1991 Report to the Principal’s Office 1991 There's a Girl in My Hammerlock 1991 Do the Funky Pickle 1992 Who Ran My Underwear Up the Flagpole? 1992 Picklemania 1993 Crash 1996 Tooter Pepperday 1996 The Library Card 1997 Wringer 1997 Newbery Honor (1998) [5] Blue Ribbon Blues: A Tooter Tale 1998 Knots in My Yo-Yo String 1998 Stargirl 2000 Love, Stargirl 2007 Loser 2002 Milkweed: A Novel 2003 My Daddy and Me 2006 Eggs 2007 Smiles to Go 2008 I Can Be Anything! 2010 References
- ^ a b "Jerry Spinelli. net - Biography, Pictures, Videos, & Quotes". JerrySpinelli.net. http://jerryspinelli.net/. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ a b "He's a Man of Many Words". The Washington Post. 2008-06-08. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/06/AR2008060601257.html. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ a b "My Gen Club author Q&A: Jerry Spinelli". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2006-09-12. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06255/720954-369.stm. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ a b c "A video interview with Jerry Spinelli". WETA Washington, D.C. http://www.adlit.org/authors/Spinelli/3608. Retrieved 04-08-2010.
- ^ "1998 Newbery Medal and Honor Books". American Library Association. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyhonors/1998newberymedal.cfm. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
External links
Categories:- 1941 births
- Living people
- People from Norristown, Pennsylvania
- American people of Italian descent
- American children's writers
- Gettysburg College alumni
- Johns Hopkins University alumni
- Newbery Medal winners
- Newbery Honor winners
- Writers of young adult literature
- Writers from Pennsylvania
- American children's writer stubs
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