Gary Paulsen is a prolific American writer of young adult literature, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. Three of Paulsen's books were given Newbery Honors: Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room. Paulsen joined a carnival at the age of 14 and had many jobs before deciding to be a writer: engineer, construction worker, ranch hand, truck driver, sailor, and even an Iditarod dogsled racer, which all have contributed to his vast bibliography.