Dan Gutman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dan Gutman
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Gutman speaking at a school in 2011
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| Born | October 19, 1955 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Alma mater | Rutgers University |
| Genre | Children's historical fiction, historical,fantasy, humor |
| Subject | Video games, baseball history, sports biography |
| Spouse |
Nina Wallace
(m. 1983) |
| Children | 2 |
Dan Gutman (born October 19, 1955) is an American writer. He is best known for writing books for kids.
His popular books include the Baseball Card Adventures series, which started with Honus & Me. He also wrote the funny My Weird School series.
Contents
Dan Gutman's Early Life and School
Dan Gutman was born in New York City in 1955. A year later, his family moved to Newark, New Jersey. When Dan was young, his father left the family. His mother, Adeline, then worked as a secretary to take care of Dan and his older sister, Lucy.
After finishing Vailsburg High School in Newark, Dan went to Rutgers University. He earned a degree in psychology in 1977. He started a program to study psychology even more, but he decided to stop. In 1980, he moved back to New York City to become a writer.
Dan Gutman's Writing Career
Starting with Video Games
When Dan Gutman first moved to New York City, he worked as an editor for magazines. He wrote about computers and video games. He even started his own magazine called Video Games Player. Later, it was renamed Computer Games.
This magazine was published from 1982 to 1985. It covered many topics about video games. These included news, interviews, tips, and reviews. It was one of the few magazines about video games in the early 1980s. It helped shape how people thought about video games back then.
Dan Gutman later realized that writing for adults was not his favorite thing. He discovered he was really good at writing for kids. He said, "It took me a long time to realize that what I was good at was writing for kids."
Dan Gutman's Books for Kids
Dan Gutman has written many books for young readers. He has written over 70 books in the My Weird School series. These books are illustrated by Jim Paillot. He also wrote related series like My Weird School Daze and My Weirder School.
He also created the Million Dollar series. In these books, kids get a chance to win a million dollars in different sports events. Other series include The Genius Files and Tales from the Sandlot. The Funny Boy series is about an alien boy who comes to Earth.
Dan Gutman has also written other standalone novels. They Came from Center Field is about aliens who want to learn baseball. Johnny Hangtime is about a young movie stuntman. Race for the Sky is a historical story about the Wright brothers.
The Baseball Card Adventures Series
One of Dan Gutman's most famous series is Baseball Card Adventures. These books are illustrated by Steve Chorney. The main character is a kid named Joe Stoshack. He can travel back in time to meet famous baseball players.
The first book, Honus & Me, is about Joe finding a rare Honus Wagner baseball card. In other books, Joe meets legends like Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Roberto Clemente. The first story, Honus & Me, was even made into a TV movie called The Winning Season.
The Genius Files Series
Dan Gutman also wrote The Genius Files series. This series has five books. It follows twin siblings, Coke and Pep McDonald. They go on a cross-country road trip to their aunt's wedding. Along the way, they have many exciting adventures.
Dan Gutman's Personal Life
Dan Gutman met his wife, Nina Wallace, when she was a freelance illustrator. She did some artwork for his Computer Games magazine. They got married in 1983. They have two children, Sam and Emma. The family has lived in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and New York City.
