Jerry Spinelli 1941

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Jerry Spinelli1941-
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Biography

• He was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania
• In high school wrote poem about his schools
  football teams victory, published in newspaper
• Went to Gettysburg College and John Hopkins
  University
• After college wrote four adult novels, rejected
• Fifth novel meant to be adult novel, ended up a
  kid novel
• Books based on his kids, newspapers, and everyday
  life
• In 1991 won Newbery Award for Maniac Magee
• In 1998 Wringer became a Newbery Honor book
• Currently lives with wife and kids in
  Phoenixville, PA

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Writers Craft

• Jerry Spinelli bases his stories on his
  childhood and his kids. Jerry Spinelli talks
  about his childhood, Isnt it a magical,
  wonderful thing that our childhoods are not
  completely lost to us, like juice squeezed
  forever from an orange, and that without moving
  so much as an eyelash we can call back Buddy
  Brathwaites bare, rat-proof feet, or Ginny
  Sukoloskis dungaree nipping duck, or Joey
  Lapellas green teeth?Jerrys books are not
  always based on his childhood, sometimes his
  characters and their emotions and actions are
  based on his kids.

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Writers Craft

Out of six kids he has a large variety of what
the characters in his story should be
like. Jerry Spinelli says, You should always
base your novel on an event that really happened
in the past. He also says, Life is full of
happy accidents. Jerry was originally going to
be an adult author but now he ended up a children
author and now he is extremely happy that he is
writing books for kids. That was Jerrys happy
accident!
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Writers Craft

• To see an interview click on this link
• http//www.carr.lib.md.us/authco/spinelli-j.htm
• The End
• By Ally Zimbalist
• 12-10-02