With his first novel for young adults, Space Station Seventh Grade, Jerry Spinelli established himself as a writer of stories that reflect the real concerns of adolescents accompanied by wit and humor. His books, including the Newbery-winning Maniac Magee, cover the controversial topics of race relations, gender bias, and even the Holocaust. In this biography, learn more about this popular author's journey as a writer, from his first published poem about sports to the bag of chicken bones that inspired his first published novel.