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About the Author
Photograph Used With Permission From Harper Collins Children's Books Chris Crutcher is an author, educator and family therapist known for his realistic fiction. Born on July 17, 1946 in Dayton, Ohio to a WWII bomber pilot and a homemaker, Crutcher grew up in Cascade, Idaho (a tiny logging town north of Boise). He graduated from Eastern Washington State College (now EWU) with a BA in psychology and sociology. He later earned his teaching credential and taught primary and secondary school in Washington State and California. He was offered a job directing a "last chance" alternative school in Oakland, California. He served at-risk K-12 students for almost a decade before returning to the Pacific Northwest to write his first book, RUNNING LOOSE for Greenwillow in the early 1980's. Eight other novels – Stotan!, Chinese Handcuffs, The Crazy Horse Electric Game, The Deep End, Staying Fat for Sarah Burnes, Ironman, Whale Talk and The Sledding Hill-- as well as a collection of short stories – Athletic Shorts -- and his autobiography, King of the Mild Frontier followed. Crutcher's fast-paced fiction -- heavily influenced by his work as a therapist and child protection advocate -- is known for its expert balance of comedy and tragedy, as well as its unflinching honesty and authentic voice. He has been honored with dozens of awards and honors including the California Library Association's 2005 St. Katharine Drexel Award, Writer Magazine's 2004 Writers Who Make A Difference Award, the ALA's 2000 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, the NCTE's 1998 National Intellectual Freedom Award and the ALAN Award. A popular columnist (Voices from the Middle, Family Energy Magazine, the Signal Journal, iParenting) and public speaker, Crutcher lectures at universities, conferences, libraries, schools and bookstores across the United States, roughly 50 to 60 times a year. He makes his home in Spokane, Washington. Other Resources: Chris Crutcher’s Website Chris Crutcher’s Essay about Deadline Learning About Chris Crutcher San Mateo High School Author Visit Video Teen Reads Author Biography Cited Resources: Harper Collins Content Guide for Deadline BY Chris Crutcher; LitTunes “Fragility of Life” Lesson Plan by Dr. Christian Z. Goering
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