Gary D. Schmidt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gary D. Schmidt
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Schmidt at the Mazza Museum in 2012
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| Born | April 14, 1957 Hicksville, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Academic, writer |
| Education | Gordon College University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (PhD) |
| Genre | Realistic fiction |
| Notable works | Just Like That |
| Notable awards |
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| Spouse |
Anne E Stickney
(m. 1979; died 2013) |
Gary D. Schmidt (born April 14, 1957) is an American author. He writes exciting books for kids and young adults. He lives in Alto, Michigan, and teaches English at Calvin University.
Contents
About Gary D. Schmidt
His Early Life and School
Gary D. Schmidt was born in Hicksville, New York, in 1957. He says he was named after a game show host. When he was a child, his teachers didn't expect much from him. His elementary school put students into groups based on how smart they seemed.
Schmidt shared in an interview that if you were in "Track One," you were expected to go to college. "Track Two" meant you'd get a good job. "Track Three" was for kids who were thought to be "stupid." Gary was placed in Track Three.
But a caring teacher helped him discover a love for reading. This important moment later inspired his book, The Wednesday Wars.
In the mid-1970s, Schmidt went to Gordon College. He earned a degree in English in 1979. After that, he studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He earned a master's degree in English in 1981. Then he got his PhD in medieval literature in 1985. Since then, Schmidt has been a professor in the English department at Calvin University.
Awards and Special Honors
Gary D. Schmidt has won many awards for his books. In 2005, his book Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy received a Newbery Honor. This award recognizes the best books for children in America. It also won a Printz Honor.
In 2008, he earned another Newbery Honor for his book The Wednesday Wars.
Schmidt's book Okay for Now came out in 2011. It was a follow-up to The Wednesday Wars. This book was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. It also won a 2012 Children's Choice Book Award. The Children's Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education listed it as a Best Children's Book of the Year.
His book The Labors of Hercules Beal won the Josette Frank Award for Fiction in 2024. It was also named a Best Children's Book of the Year with Outstanding Merit. Many of Schmidt's books have appeared on the Best Children's Book of the Year list. These include:
- Saint Ciaran
- Straw into Gold
- Mara's Stories
- The Wonders of Donal O'Donnell
- Trouble
- What Came From the Stars
- Martín de Porres
- Orbiting Jupiter
- Almost Time
- Celia Planted a Garden: The Story of Celia Thaxter and Her Island Garden
His Personal Life
In 1996, Gary Schmidt faced a health challenge. While getting treatment, he met many other patients. He says their stories inspired him to write books for children and young adults.
Schmidt and his late wife, Anne, had six children. One of their children is a teacher. Gary Schmidt is a Christian and says his faith is important to him. He also enjoys teaching writing classes in prisons and youth detention centers. His experiences there helped inspire his book Orbiting Jupiter.
The Wednesday Wars Series
In 2007, Schmidt released his popular book The Wednesday Wars. Four years later, in 2011, he released Okay For Now. This book is a companion to The Wednesday Wars. The third book in the series, Just Like That, came out in 2021.
Each book in the series can be read on its own. However, they share characters and themes that make them even richer when read together.
