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and the 1999 [[Newbery Medal]] for the year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children".<ref name=newbery>
and the 1999 [[Newbery Medal]] for the year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children".<ref name=newbery>
[http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyhonors/newberymedal "Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922–Present"]. [[Association for Library Service to Children]]. (ALSC). [[American Library Association]] (ALA).<br> &nbsp; [http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/aboutnewbery/aboutnewbery "The John Newbery Medal"]. ALSC. ALA. Retrieved 2012-03-26.</ref>
[http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyhonors/newberymedal "Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922–Present"]. [[Association for Library Service to Children]]. (ALSC). [[American Library Association]] (ALA).<br> &nbsp; [http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/aboutnewbery/aboutnewbery "The John Newbery Medal"]. ALSC. ALA. Retrieved 2012-03-26.</ref>

==Biography==
After graduating from high school, Sachar attended [[Antioch College]] for a semester before transferring to [[University of California, Berkeley]], during which time he began working at an [[elementary school]] to earn college credit.<ref name= "autobio">[http://www.louissachar.com/Bio.htm "Author Bio"], ''Louis Sachar'' (louissachar.com), 2005. Retrieved 2007-07-14.</ref> Sachar later recalled,

{{cquote|I thought it over and decided it was a pretty good deal. College credits, no homework, no term papers, no tests, all I had to do was help out in a second/third grade class at [[Hillside Elementary School]]. Besides helping out in a classroom, I also became the Noontime Supervisor, or "Louis the Yard Teacher" as I was known to the kids. It became my favorite college class, and a life changing experience.<ref name= "autobio"/>}}

Sachar graduated from UC Berkeley in 1976 with a degree in [[Economics]], and began working on ''[[Sideways Stories From Wayside School (book)|Sideways Stories From Wayside School]]'', a children's book set at an elementary school with [[supernatural]] elements. Although the book's students were named after children from Hillside and there is a presumably [[autobiography|autobiographical]] character named "Louis the Yard Teacher,"<ref name= "autobio"/> Sachar has said that he draws very little from personal experience, explaining that "....my personal experiences are kind of boring. I have to make up what I put in my books."<ref name= "scholasticint">[http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=10532_type=Contributor_typeId=3603 "Louis Sachar Interview Transcript"], Scholastic.com, 2006-02-23. Retrieved 2007-07-18.</ref>

Sachar wrote the book at night over the course of nine months, during which he worked during the day in a [[Connecticut]] sweater warehouse.<ref name= "autobio"/> After being fired from the warehouse, Sachar decided to go to [[law school]], around which time ''Sideways Stories From Wayside School'' was accepted for publication. The book was released in 1978; though it was not widely distributed and subsequently did not sell very well, Sachar began to accumulate a fan base among young readers.<ref name= "top">Strickland, Barbara. [http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/vol18/issue26/books.sachar.html "Louis Sachar: Top of His Class"], ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'' 18.26, 1999-02-26. Retrieved 2007-07-24.</ref> Sachar graduated from [[University of California, Hastings College of the Law]] in 1980 and did part-time legal work while continuing to write children's books.<ref name= "seat">Goodnow, Cecelia. [http://www.seattlepi.com/books/255006_sachar.html?source=rss "Author Louis Sachar returns with a spinoff of his kids classic, 'Holes'"], ''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]'', 2006-01-10. Retrieved 2007-07-24.</ref> By 1989, his books were selling well enough that Sachar was able to begin writing full-time.<ref name= "autobio"/>

Sachar married Carla Askew,<ref>http://www.mcelmeel.com/writing/sachar.html</ref> an elementary [[school counselor]], in 1985. They live in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Texas]], and have a daughter, Sherre (b. January 19, 1987). Sachar has referenced both his wife and daughter in his books; Carla was the inspiration for the counselor in ''[[There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom]]'' (1988),<ref name= "autobio"/> and Stanley's lawyer in ''[[Holes (novel)|Holes]]''.


==Works==
==Works==

Revision as of 20:37, 7 February 2014

Louis Sachar
Louis Sachar at the Texas Book Festival, 2006.
Louis Sachar at the Texas Book Festival, 2006.
Born (1954-03-20) March 20, 1954 (age 70)
East Meadow, New York, U.S.
OccupationAuthor
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley
Hastings College of the Law
GenreChildren's literature
SpouseCarla Askew (1 child)
Website
http://www.louissachar.com

Louis Sachar (/ˈsækər/ SAK-ər; born March 20, 1954) is an American author of children's books. He is best known for the series Sideways Stories From Wayside School and for the novels Pig City and Holes which he has followed with two companion novels.

Holes won the 1998 U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature[1] and the 1999 Newbery Medal for the year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children".[2]

Works

Sideways Stories From Wayside School
Marvin Redpost
  • Kidnapped at Birth? (1992)
  • Why Pick on Me? (1993)
  • Is He a Girl? (1993)
  • Alone In His Teacher's House (1994)
  • Class President(1999)
  • A Flying Birthday Cake? (1999)
  • Super Fast Out of Control! (2000)
  • A Magic Crystal? (2000)
Holes series
Other books

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "National Book Awards – 1998". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
    (With acceptance speech by Sachar.)
  2. ^ a b "Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922–Present". Association for Library Service to Children. (ALSC). American Library Association (ALA).
      "The John Newbery Medal". ALSC. ALA. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
  3. ^ "Pig City by Louis Sachar". The Bookbag. 2009-10-24. Retrieved 2009-05-27.

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