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Gary Paulsen, renowned author, to speak at UT on March 2 Three-time Newbery Honor recipient to discuss his life of adventure and his most recent novel (Knoxville, TN) To say that Gary Paulsen leads an adventurous life is an understatement. Knox County Public Library is pleased to partner with the Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature at the University of Tennessee to present an evening with Gary Paulsen on Tuesday, March 2, 7:00 p.m. at the University Center Auditorium, 1502 Cumberland Ave. Three-time winner of the Newbery Honor, Paulsen will be discussing his life of adventure and his newest book, Wood's Runner. The event is free and open to the public. Paulsen will be available to sign books after the talk. Born in 1939, Gary Paulsen is one of America's most popular writers for young people. With more than 200 books and as many articles and short stories to his name, his own experiences form the basis for many of his stories. He got the bug for adventure at an early age. At 14, Paulsen ran away from home to join a traveling carnival. He has dabbled in farm and ranch life, worked as an engineer and a construction worker, and has crossed the country as a truck driver. While sailing around the world and racing the sled dogs across Alaska, he also manages to write award-winning children's books. Three of his novels-Hatchet, Dogsong, and The Winter Room-were Newbery Honor Books. His books frequently appear on the best books lists of the American Library Association and, in 1997, Paulsen was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement. "We are extremely delighted to bring Gary Paulsen to Knoxville," commented Miranda Clark, Director of the Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature at the University of Tennessee's School of Information Sciences. "Paulsen is a rock star in the world of literature for young people. While his appeal is broad, he reaches boys and young men at a point when they are at risk of disregarding reading for fun. He manages to capture their attention and hold it. Paulsen's books should be top of the list particularly for boys. We are thrilled to be able to work with Knox County Public Library and their Friends group to make this event happen. It's exciting for our community." This event is presented by the Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature at the University of Tennessee and Knox County Public Library with support from Friends of the Knox County Public Library. About Wood's Runner Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston. But the war comes to them. British soldiers and Iroquois attack. Samuel's parents are taken away as prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters, New York City. About The Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature The Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature at the University of Tennessee believes that literature is essential to the literacy, learning, social, emotional and aesthetic development of young people. Guided by this belief, it is the mission of the Center to celebrate and promote literature and to encourage reading through outreach to children and their parents, to current and future teachers and librarians, to members of the community, and to scholars and thinkers across disciplines. The Center is housed in the School of Information Sciences, College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee. About the Friends of the Library The Friends of the Library are dedicated to fostering a love of libraries, books and reading in the Knox County area by community outreach, advocacy and support of the Knox County Public Library system and staff. You can learn more at www.knoxfriends.org <http://www.knoxfriends.org/> . ### __________ Joel Southern Communications Specialist School of Information Sciences College of Communication and Information University of Tennessee, Knoxville 1345 Circle Park Drive, Suite 451 Knoxville, TN 37996-0341 ____________ (865) 974-6727 jsouthern at utk dot edu www.sis.utk.edu <http://www.sis.utk.edu>