Ben Mikaelsen facts for kids
Ben Mikaelsen (born January 5, 1952) is a Bolivian American writer. He is famous for writing exciting books for young people, often about adventure and overcoming challenges.
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Early Life and Learning
Ben Mikaelsen was born on January 5, 1952, in La Paz, Bolivia. His parents were missionaries from Denmark. Ben did not go to school until he was in fourth grade. When he moved to the United States before seventh grade, he faced new challenges because his English was not very good yet.
As a teenager in Minnesota, Ben learned to swim and dive. This led him to take flight and skydiving lessons! He later attended USC and Bemidji State University.
Life with a Bear and Writing
When Ben Mikaelsen was building his home in Montana, he did something amazing. He adopted an American black bear named Buffy! Buffy lived with him for 26 years and was a big part of his family. Ben thought of Buffy as a "750-pound member of my family." Buffy passed away in 2012.
Ben has been writing books full-time since 1984. He lives in Anacortes, Washington with his wife, Connie. His special bond with Buffy the bear even inspired some of his books, like Touching Spirit Bear and its sequel, Ghost of Spirit Bear.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Ben took a year off from high school. He joined a parachute team and competed in skydiving events around Minnesota. Today, he often visits schools across the country. He shares stories about his life and how he learned to overcome difficulties.
Books by Ben Mikaelsen
Ben Mikaelsen has written many popular books for young readers. Here are some of his published works:
- Rescue Josh McGuire (1991)
- Sparrow Hawk Red (1993)
- Stranded (1995)
- Countdown (1996)
- Petey (1998)
- Touching Spirit Bear (2001)
- Red Midnight (2002)
- Tree Girl (2004)
- Ghost of Spirit Bear (2008)
- Jungle of Bones (2014)
Awards and Recognition
Ben Mikaelsen's books have won many awards for young people's literature. These include the California Young Reader Medal and Wyoming's Indian Paintbrush Book Award.
- 1991: Golden Spur, Juvenile Fiction, for Rescue Josh McGuire
- 1992: International Reading Association Children's Book Award, Older Reader Category, for Rescue Josh McGuire
- 1999: ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults, for Petey
- 1999: Golden Spur, Juvenile Fiction, for Petey
- 2002: ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults, for Touching Spirit Bear
