Ben Mikaelsen

Ben Mikaelsen is a Bolivian-American author of children's and young adult literature, born in La Paz, Bolivia, to missionary parents of Danish descent, where he experienced bullying, revolutions, and began writing after attending boarding school at age nine.[1][2] He moved to the United States in seventh grade, attended Concordia College and Bemidji State University, served in the U.S. Army, and pursued various adventures before becoming a full-time writer in 1985, publishing novels like Touching Spirit Bear inspired by his life and his pet black bear Buffy.[1][4][6] His works emphasize themes of hope, anti-bullying, and personal growth, earning awards such as the International Reading Association Children's Book Award and Western Writers of America Spur Award.[3][4]