Jerry spinelli biography timeline graphic organizers

Jerry Spinelli born February 1, [ 1 ] is an American writer of children's novels that feature adolescence and early adulthood. His novels include Maniac Magee , [ 2 ] Stargirl , and Wringer.

Jerry spinelli biography timeline graphic organizers: Thorough author study on Jerry

Spinelli was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania , [ 3 ] and currently lives in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. At the age of 16, his love of sports inspired him to compose a poem about a recent football victory, which his father published in the local newspaper without his knowledge. It was at this time he realized that he would not become a major league baseball player, so he decided to become a writer.

At Gettysburg College , Spinelli spent his time writing short stories and was the editor of the college literary magazine, The Mercury. The next two decades, he spent his time working "normal jobs" during the day so that he had the energy to write fiction in his free time. He found himself writing during lunch breaks, on weekends, and after dinner.

His first few 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