Louis Sachar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louis Sachar
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Sachar in 2006
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| Born | March 20, 1954 East Meadow, New York, U.S. |
| Education |
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| Genre | Children's fiction |
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| Spouse |
Carla Askew
(m. 1985) |
| Children | 1 |
Louis Sachar (born March 20, 1954) is a famous American author. He writes exciting mystery and comedy books for young people. He is most well-known for his popular Wayside School book series. He also wrote the award-winning novel Holes. Holes won two big awards: the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 1998 and the Newbery Medal in 1999. These awards are given to the best books for children in America. In 2013, Holes was even named one of the top children's novels in a survey by School Library Journal.
Contents
About Louis Sachar
Early Life and Education
Louis Sachar was born on March 20, 1954, in East Meadow, New York. He grew up in a Jewish family. After finishing high school, Sachar went to Antioch College. He later moved to the University of California, Berkeley. While at Berkeley, he started helping out at an elementary school. This experience was very important for him.
"Louis the Yard Teacher"
Sachar helped in a second and third-grade class. He also became the "Noontime Supervisor," which meant he watched the kids during lunch and recess. The children called him "Louis the Yard Teacher." He said this was his favorite college class and changed his life.
Becoming an Author
Sachar graduated from UC Berkeley in 1976 with a degree in economics. He then started writing his first children's book, Sideways Stories From Wayside School. This book is about an elementary school with some very unusual things happening. Even though some characters are named after kids he knew, Sachar mostly makes up his stories. He wrote the book at night while working in a sweater warehouse. After he lost that job, he decided to go to law school.
First Book Published
Around the time Sachar started law school, Sideways Stories From Wayside School was accepted for publication. It came out in 1978. Even though it didn't sell a lot at first, young readers started to love his books. Sachar finished law school in 1980. He worked part-time as a lawyer while continuing to write children's books. By 1989, his books were so popular that he could write full-time.
Family Life
In 1985, Louis Sachar married Carla Askew, who was an elementary school counselor. They live in Austin, Texas. They have a daughter named Sherre, who was born on January 19, 1987. Sachar has used his family as inspiration for characters in his books. Carla inspired the counselor in There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom and Stanley's lawyer in Holes. When asked in 2015 if kids have changed, Sachar said he doesn't think so. He noted that his first book is still popular today.
Books on Screen
Holes Movie
On April 11, 2003, Disney released a movie based on Sachar's book Holes. The movie was very successful. Louis Sachar himself wrote the screenplay for the movie. He even had a small appearance in one of the scenes.
Wayside School TV Series
The Wayside School series was also made into an animated special in 2005. Two years later, in 2007, it became a television series. It aired on Teletoon in Canada and Nickelodeon in the U.S.
Louis Sachar's Books
Wayside School Series
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School (1978)
- Wayside School is Falling Down (1989)
- Sideways Arithmetic From Wayside School (1989)
- More Sideways Arithmetic From Wayside School (1994)
- Wayside School Gets A Little Stranger (1995)
- Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom (2020)
Marvin Redpost Series
- Kidnapped at Birth? (1992)
- Why Pick on Me? (1993)
- Is He a Girl? (1993)
- Alone In His Teacher's House (1994)
- Class President (1999)
- A Flying Birthday Cake? (1999)
- Super Fast Out of Control! (2000)
- A Magic Crystal? (2000)
Holes Series
- Holes (1998) — This book won the National Book Award and Newbery Medal.
- Holes Special Edition (1998)
- Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake (2003)
- Small Steps (2006)
Other Books
- Johnny's in the Basement (1981)
- Someday Angeline (1983)
- Sixth Grade Secrets (1987) (also known as Pig City in the UK)
- There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom (1987)
- The Boy Who Lost His Face (1989)
- Dogs Don't Tell Jokes (1991)
- The Cardturner (2010)
- Captain Tory (2011) (part of The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales)
- Fuzzy Mud (2015)
See also
In Spanish: Louis Sachar para niños
