Jack Gantos

writer

Jack Gantos was born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. While in college, he and an illustrator friend, Nicole Rubel, began working on picture books. After a series of well-deserved rejections, they published their first book, *Rotten Ralph*, in 1976. *Rotten Ralph* was a success and marked the beginning of Jack's career as a professional writer. This surprised a great many people who thought he was going to specialize in rehabilitating old bookmobiles into housing for retired librarians. Jack continued to write children's books and began to teach courses in children's book writing and children's literature. He developed the masters degree program in children's book writing at Emerson College and the Vermont College M.F.A. program for children's book writers. He now devotes his time to writing books and educational speaking.