Jerry Spinelli

“Whom do I write for? I write for the story. Each story, it seems to me, knows best how it should be told. As I once put my ear to the railroad track, I listen now for the voice of my story.”—Jerry Spinelli

Jerry Spinelli is the author of more than a dozen books for young readers, including Maniac Magee, winner of the Newbery Medal, and Stargirl a New York Times bestseller and an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. Spinelli made his picture book debut with My Daddy and Me, a loving tribute to fathers and sons.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Growing up, Jerry Spinelli was really serious about baseball. He played for the Green Sox Little League team in his hometown of Norristown, Pennsylvania, and dreamed of one day playing for the major leagues, preferably as shortstop for the New York Yankees.

One night during high school, Spinelli watched the football team win an exciting game against one of the best teams in the country. While everyone else rode about town tooting horns in celebration, Spinelli went home and wrote “Goal to Go,” a poem about the game’s defining moment, a goal-line stand. His father submitted the poem to the Norristown Times–Herald and it was featured in the middle of the sports page a few days later. He then traded in his baseball bat for a pencil, because he knew that he wanted to become a writer.

After graduating from Gettysburg College with an English degree, Spinelli worked full time as a magazine editor. Every day on his lunch hour, he would close his office door and craft novels on yellow magazine copy paper. He wrote four adult novels in 12 years of lunchtime writing, but none of these were accepted for publication. When he submitted a fifth novel about a 13-year-old boy, adult publishers once again rejected his work, but children’s publishers embraced it. Spinelli feels that he accidentally became an author of children’s books.

Spinelli’s hilarious books entertain both children and young adults. Readers see his life in his autobiography Knots in My Yo-Yo String, as well as in his fiction. Crash came out of his desire to include the beloved Penn Relays of his home state of Pennsylvania in a book, while Maniac Magee is set in a fictional town based on his own hometown.

When asked if he does research for his writing, Spinelli says: “The answer is yes and no. No, in the sense that I seldom plow through books at the library to gather material. Yes, in the sense that the first 15 years of my life turned out to be one big research project. I thought I was simply growing up in Norristown, Pennsylvania; looking back now I can see that I was also gathering material that would one day find its way into my books.”

On inspiration, the author says: “Ideas come from ordinary, everyday life. And from imagination. And from feelings. And from memories. Memories of dust in my sneakers and humming whitewalls down a hill called Monkey.”

Spinelli lives with his wife and fellow writer, Eileen, in West Chester, Pennsylvania. While they write in separate rooms of the house, the couple edits and celebrates one another’s work. Their six children have given Jerry Spinelli a plethora of clever material for his writing.

PRAISE

CRASH
“Readers will devour this humorous glimpse of what jocks are made of while learning that life does not require crashing helmet-headed through it.”—Starred, School Library Journal

“Spinelli packs a powerful moral wallop, leaving it to the pitch-perfect narration to drive home his point.”—Publishers Weekly

KNOTS IN MY YO-YO STRING
“As Spinelli effortlessly spins the story of an ordinary Pennsylvania boy, he also documents the evolution of an exceptional author.”—Starred, Publishers Weekly

“In this warm, deeply personal memoir of the kid he was, Spinelli takes us to Norristown, Pennsylvania, in the 1950s.”—Booklist

STARGIRL
“Newbery-winning Spinelli spins a magical and heartbreaking tale from the stuff of high school.”—Starred, Kirkus Reviews

“Part fairy godmother, part outcast, part dream-come-true, the star of Spinelli’s latest novel possesses many of the mythical qualities as the protagonist of his Maniac Magee.”—Starred, Publishers Weekly

“Sixteen-year-old Leo recounts Stargirl’s sojourn at Mica High in an allegorical story that is engagingly written.”—Booklist

TOOTER PEPPERDAY
“Tooter is a real-life, plucky, resourceful heroine who scampers through this novel for new readers.”—The Horn Book Magazine

“The characters are well-developed—Tooter is at times reminiscent of Ramona—and the story is enjoyable.”—School Library Journal

Author Bookshelf
		Blue Ribbon Blues Written by Jerry Spinelli Illustrated by Donna Kae Nelson Trade Paperback Ever since her family moved to Aunt Sally's farm, Tooter's known that farm life is definitely not for her. There's no pizzeria  for miles, her nearest neighbor is a dumb boy, and even her own pet chicken hates her! So Tooter decides to show everyone what she's made of by winning the... Read More
		Crash Written by Jerry Spinelli Paperback Now available in paperback, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli's hilarious, poignant story of  cocky seventh-grade superjock Crash Coogan.   From the Trade Paperback edition. Read More
		Crash Written by Jerry Spinelli Trade Paperback Now available in paperback, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli's hilarious, poignant story of  cocky seventh-grade superjock Crash Coogan.   Read More
		Crash Written by Jerry Spinelli eBook Now available in paperback, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli's hilarious, poignant story of  cocky seventh-grade superjock Crash Coogan.   From the Trade Paperback edition. Read More
		Crash Written by Jerry Spinelli Hardcover Library Binding Now available in paperback, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli's hilarious, poignant story of  cocky seventh-grade superjock Crash Coogan.   From the Trade Paperback edition. Read More
		Knots in My Yo-Yo String Written by Jerry Spinelli Trade Paperback "A master of those embarrassing, gloppy, painful, and suddenly wonderful things that happen on the razor's edge between childhood and full-fledged adolescence" (The Washington Post),  Newbery medalist Jerry Spinelli has penned his early autobiography with all the warmth, humor, and drama of his best-selling fiction. From first memories through high school, including... Read More
		Knots in My Yo-Yo String Written by Jerry Spinelli eBook "A master of those embarrassing, gloppy, painful, and suddenly wonderful things that happen on the razor's edge between childhood and full-fledged adolescence" (The Washington Post),  Newbery medalist Jerry Spinelli has penned his early autobiography with all the warmth, humor, and drama of his best-selling fiction. From first memories through high school, including... Read More
		Love, Stargirl Written by Jerry Spinelli Trade Paperback A beloved New York Times bestseller—now in trade paperback! Love, Stargirl picks up a year after Stargirl ends and reveals the new life of the beloved character who moved away so suddenly at the end of Stargirl. The novel takes the form of "the world's longest letter," in diary form, going from... Read More
		Love, Stargirl Written by Jerry Spinelli Hardcover LOVE, STARGIRL picks up a year after Stargirl ends and reveals the new life of the beloved character who moved away so suddenly at the end of Stargirl. The novel takes the form of "the world's longest letter," in diary form, going from date to date through a little more than... Read More
		Love, Stargirl Written by Jerry Spinelli eBook LOVE, STARGIRL picks up a year after Stargirl ends and reveals the new life of the beloved character who moved away so suddenly at the end of Stargirl. The novel takes the form of "the world's longest letter," in diary form, going from date to date through a little more than... Read More
		Love, Stargirl Written by Jerry Spinelli Hardcover Library Binding LOVE, STARGIRL picks up a year after Stargirl ends and reveals the new life of the beloved character who moved away so suddenly at the end of Stargirl. The novel takes the form of "the world's longest letter," in diary form, going from date to date through a little more than... Read More
		Milkweed Written by Jerry Spinelli Hardcover He’s a boy called Jew. Gypsy. Stopthief. Runt. Happy. Fast. Filthy son of Abraham. He’s a boy who lives in the streets of Warsaw. He’s a boy who steals food for himself and the other orphans. He’s a boy who believes in bread, and mothers, and angels. He’s a boy who... Read More
		Milkweed Written by Jerry Spinelli eBook He’s a boy called Jew. Gypsy. Stopthief. Runt. Happy. Fast. Filthy son of Abraham. He’s a boy who lives in the streets of Warsaw. He’s a boy who steals food for himself and the other orphans. He’s a boy who believes in bread, and mothers, and angels. He’s a boy who... Read More
		Milkweed Written by Jerry Spinelli Trade Paperback A stunning novel of the Holocaust from a Newbery Medalist He's a boy called Jew. Gypsy. Stopthief. Filthy son of Abraham. He's a boy who lives in the streets of Warsaw. He's a boy who steals food for himself, and the other orphans. He's a boy who believes in bread, and mothers, and... Read More
		Milkweed Written by Jerry Spinelli Paperback He’s a boy called Jew. Gypsy. Stopthief. Runt. Happy. Fast. Filthy son of Abraham. He’s a boy who lives in the streets of Warsaw. He’s a boy who steals food for himself and the other orphans. He’s a boy who believes in bread, and mothers, and angels. He’s a boy who... Read More
		My Daddy and Me Written by Jerry Spinelli Illustrated by Seymour Chwast Trade Paperback I can’t wait for my daddy to come home from work. There are so many things to do! In a loving tribute to fathers and sons, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli and New Yorker artist Seymour Chwast join talents to celebrate the very best moment of the day: when daddy comes home. From the... Read More
		Stargirl Written by Jerry Spinelli Paperback Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted... Read More
		Stargirl Written by Jerry Spinelli Trade Paperback Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted... Read More
		Stargirl Written by Jerry Spinelli Hardcover Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted... Read More
		Stargirl paperback/Love, Stargirl paperback Boxed set with free Stargirl Journal Written by Jerry Spinelli Boxed Set Three stars in one beautiful boxed set: Stargirl + Love, Stargirl + a Stargirl Journal (free!). Jerry Spinelli’s novel Stargirl, published in 2000, became an instant bestseller, beloved for its nonconformist heroine with a heart of gold. With over 1.4 million copies in print in North America alone and licenses in... Read More
		Stargirl Journal Written by Jerry Spinelli Hardcover FOR EVERY STARGIRL fan, here's an inviting diary: 160 journal pages, each decorated with a quote from Stargirl or Love, Stargirl. Read More
		Stargirl Written by Jerry Spinelli eBook Leo Borlock follows the unspoken rule at Mica Area High School: don't stand out--under any circumstances! Then Stargirl arrives at Mica High and everything changes--for Leo and for the entire school. After 15 years of home schooling, Stargirl bursts into tenth grade in an explosion of color and a clatter of... Read More
		Stargirl/Love, Stargirl Boxed Set Written by Jerry Spinelli Boxed Set Read More
		Today I Will Written by Jerry Spinelli and Eileen Spinelli Hardcover Reassuring advice for every day of the year From an esteemed husband-and-wife team comes a book of daily advice and insight. In dated entries meant to be read one per day, the Spinellis open with a brief quote from children’s literature, write a paragraph of lively advice inspired by that quote... Read More
		Today I Will Written by Jerry Spinelli and Eileen Spinelli Hardcover Library Binding Reassuring advice for every day of the year From an esteemed husband-and-wife team comes a book of daily advice and insight. In dated entries meant to be read one per day, the Spinellis open with a brief quote from children’s literature, write a paragraph of lively advice inspired by that quote... Read More