Jack Gantos

Jack Gantos is an American author of children's books, best known for characters like Rotten Ralph and Joey Pigza, and award-winning works such as the Newbery Medal-winning Dead End in Norvelt and the memoir Hole in My Life. Born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, he faced a turbulent youth including frequent moves, a drug smuggling arrest leading to prison time, after which he turned to writing, publishing his first book Rotten Ralph in 1976. He has written across genres for all ages and taught creative writing at institutions like Emerson College.