Gary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.
I love all of Gary Paulsen's books, even now as an adult. Sure, there is a bit of nostalgia here, as I read all these books as a young man back in middle school. But, like I said, they still hold up on a re-read as an adult. The tales of survival in the woods, and the human perseverance to overcome and continue on in the face of any obstacle is still inspiring to this day. I'd recommend these books to any young reader who likes action adventure and stories of survival.