Edgar Allan Poe not only wrote such dark and uncanny works as "The Raven," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "The Fall of the House of Usher," but also lived a tragic and similarly gloomy life. Credited as the father of the modern horror story and the first detective novel, Poe still inspires legions of fans to this day.
Best known for his books chronicling the adventures of "Captain Underpants," Dav Pilkey has built a reputation as one of his generation's most inventive writers and illustrators. Yet as a young boy, he seemed unlikely to ever become a success. Suffering from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, this one-time "class clown" was sent out from class to sit in the hallway so often that he had his own desk waiting for him, which he kept stocked with paper, pencils, and crayons.
Alice Norton was a college freshman when the Great Depression left her unable to afford her tuition. Forced to quit school, she did not give up her dreams. While working at a library, Norton wrote a novel inspired by a patron, The Prince Commands, which was published in her early 20s. Because the publisher doubted boys would buy an adventure story written by a woman, Alice Norton changed her name to the masculine "Andre Norton." Norton found her passion, writing more than 100 science fiction and fantasy novels, many for young adults.
