Louis Sachar

Born in 1954 and raised in both New York and California, Sachar explored many careers before settling in as a beloved children's author. He sold Fuller brushes, he was a playground teacher, he practiced law, and he worked in a sweater warehouse.

It was as a playground aide that he became inspired to write his first series of books-the Wayside School series, a series that was accepted by a publisher during his first week of law school. He spent nine years as a lawyer until his books started selling well-enough to let him become a full-time writer.

In addition to the two series that he writes, Sachar is the author of the Holes, a much-decorated book that was made into a movie. It's won such awards as Newbery Medal, National Book Award for Young People's Literature, Christopher Award, ALA Notable Book, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, New York Times Notable Children's Book of the Year, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Horn Book Fanfare Title, and Publisher's Weekly Notable Children's Book of the Year.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

-- B. Redman