by katy gladden

By

Katy Gladden

Author Study of

Louis Sachar

http://www.louissachar.com/Bio.htm

Biography• Mr. Sachar was born on March 20, 1954

in New York. At the age of nine, he moved to Tustin, California with his family.

• He attended the University of California at Berkeley and graduated in 1976.

• While in college he worked as a classroom aide and yard teacher at Hillside Elementary School.

Biography

• Later on, he attended Hastings Law School in San Francisco and graduated in 1980.

• After graduation, he passed the bar and worked part-time as a law practitioner.

Biography• In 1989, Mr. Sachar

was able to discontinue practicing law in order to pursue his interest as a children’s writer on a full-time basis.

• Mr. Sachar currently lives with his wife and daughter in Austin, Texas.

http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/610600

Inspiration

• Mr. Sachar often wrote as a result of his own personal observation of children.

• His first novel, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, is based on his experiences at Hillside Elementary School.

• Some of the characters reflect the personalities of several of his previous Hillside Elementary students.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sideways-stories-from-wayside-school-louis-sachar/1000061447?ean=9780380698714&itm=1&usri=sideways%2bstories%2bfrom%2bwayside%2bschoolWorks Cited

Writing Style• The author utilizes a humorous and simplistic

writing style as exemplified in the story called There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There%27s_a_Boy_in_the_Girls%27_Bathroom

Themes• Often he writes about the underdog

who rises to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles as in the novel, Holes.

• Author Quote: "I'm not saying it's going to be easy. Nothing in life is easy. But that's no reason to give up.”

• Author Quote: “You'll be surprised what you can accomplish if you set your mind to it. After all, you only have one life, so you should try to make the most of it."

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/holes-louis-sachar/1100014971?ean=9780440414803&itm=1&usri=holes

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/6569.Louis_Sachar

Sideways Series

• Sideways Stories From Wayside School Series

• 1978: Sideways Stories From Wayside School

http://morguefile.com/archive/view/display/700089

Books

• 1989: Wayside School is Falling Down• 1989: Sideways Arithmetic From Wayside

School• 1994 More Sideways Arithmetic From

Wayside School• 1995: Wayside School Gets a Little

Strangerhttp://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/189444

http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/189444

Marvin Redpost Series

• 1992: Kidnapped at Birth• 1993: Why Pick On Me?• 1993: Is He a Girl?• 1994: Alone in His Teacher’s

House

http://www.amazon.com/Kidnapped-Birth-Marvin-Redpost-paper/dp/0679819460/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308106987&sr=1-1

Marvin Redpost Series

• 1999: Class President• 2000: Super Fast Out of

Control!• 2000: A Magic Crystal?

http://www.amazon.com/Class-President-Marvin-Redpost-Stepping/dp/067988999X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309558183&sr=1-2

Holes Series

Mr. Sachar’s most successful work is Holes which was written in 1998.

http://www.google.com/search?q=books+by+Louis+Sachar&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=pSM&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VB74TdHMKorTiALq_bD9DA&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=989&bih=760

Holes Book Awards• 1998: Holes• The National Book Award• New York Times Book Review Notable

Children’s Book of the Year• New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year• School Library Journal Best Book of the Year• Boston Globe-Horn Book Award

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/agree-terms.php

Holes Book Awards

• Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book• Publishers Weekly Best Book of

the Year• Newbery Medal (1999)• Became a major motion picture

by Disney http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/138385

Other Books in Holes Series

• 2003: Stanley Yelnats’ Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake

• 2006: Small Steps

http://www.amazon.com/Small-Steps-Readers-Circle-ebook/dp/B000FCKPPI/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1309556183&sr=8-9

Other Books

• 1981: Johnny’s in the Basement• 1983: Someday Angeline• 1987: Sixth Grade Secrets• 1988 There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom

Other Books• 1989: The Boy Who Lost His Face• 1991: Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes• 1992: Monkey Soup• 2010: The Cardturner


What I Think That Students Should Know About the Author• Mr. Sachar frequently bases his characters

on real people that he has met throughout his life. Often, his characters face adversity and learn how to deal with these issues effectively.


What I Think Students Should Know About the Author

• Mr. Sachar writes realistic fiction about situations that students might face on a daily basis such as: peer group acceptance, racism, and bullying.

What I Think That Students Should Know About the Author

• Mr. Sachar’s simplistic writing style incorporates humorous themes and creative plot structure to formulate a children’s story that connects with a reader.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.qbd.com.au/products/l/8478/9780747548478.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.qbd.com.au/product/9780747548478

What I Think Students Should Know About the Author


I would recommend this author, who has the gift of universal writing appeal, to anyone of any age.

Which Louis Sachar Book Would You Like To Read?


Works Cited Lodge, Sally. "Louis Sachar." Publishers Weekly

254.30 (2007): 26. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 2 July 2011.

Sachar, Sherre, and Carla Sachar. "Louis Sachar." Horn Book Magazine July 1999: 418+. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 2 July 2011.

Wroble, Lisa A. "Louis Sachar." Guide to Literary Masters & Their Works (2007): 1. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 2 July 2011.

by katy gladden

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