Gary Paulsen (May 17, 1939 – October 13, 2021) was a prolific American author of more than 200 books for children and young adults, best known for his gripping, coming-of-age wilderness adventures. His remarkable career earned him the American Library Association's Margaret Edwards Award in 1997 for his lifetime contribution to teen literature. Paulsen's turbulent early life profoundly shaped his writing: he witnessed a deadly plane crash during a voyage to the Philippines, struggled severely with literacy as a child, and often had to fend for himself while his parents struggled with alcohol. To survive his teenage years, he worked odd jobs and hunted game with a rifle and homemade bow before dropping out of college and serving in the U.S. Army. These raw, authentic experiences directly inspired his iconic survival novel Hatchet and are vividly chronicled in his autobiographical works Eastern Sun, Winter Moon and Guts.