Jerry Spinelli is a very successful author. He has won one Newbery Medal for Maniac Magee. He was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania. The first piece of literature he wrote was a poem based on a football victory. His father then later published it with Spinelli's knowledge and that was when Spinelli realized he wanted to be an author. In 1982, his first book, Space Station Seventh Grade, was published. Jerry has a wife, Eileen Spinelli, six children, and sixteen grandchildren. He currently lives in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He as also wrote 27 other books/poems. Jerry got inspired to write this book by two of his children Molly and Jeffrey. Jerry Spinelli is a great author and has many great books.