James Arthur Kjelgaard, otherwise known as Jim, was born on December 10, 1910 in New York, New York, as one of six children. He spent much of his childhood growing up on a farm in the mountains of Pennsylvania. He was a writer and environmentalist who loved animals and nature; one of his greatest loves was dogs. After he married his wife, Kjelgaard's most famous novel, Big Red, was published; it was the story of a loyal companionship between a man and a dog (Zietman). He combined personal experiences from his childhood with the animals he loved; he wrote many popular children's stories before his tragic death at the age of forty-eight (Olendorf). As a young man, Kjelgaard skipped school to hunt and fish. Although he was not formally educated, he did much to educate himself through reading, writing, and wilderness exploration (Kjelgaard). As a child he read everything from The Rover Boys to Robert Burns. Even though his parents didn't have much money, they provided as many books as possible. Due to money problems, the Kjelgaard family moved to Galeton, Pennsylvania. After the move, Kelgaard began to show his first interest in writing. To be able to use the typewriter he built a desk out of a box and began writing short stories. At the same time, he became an avid hunter, trapper and fisherman with a great love for dogs. Kjelgaard began experiencing symptoms of epilepsy and was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland. He was diagnosed with cancer, but no surgery was required at that time. Despite the obstacle, Kjelgaard was able to continue his adventures in the wilderness. As a teenager, Kjelgaard attended Galeton High School where he continued to write. He sent many of his stories hunting and fishing... into the middle of paper... so as to inspire writers and children everywhere to continue their love of reading and writing, no matter the circumstances or obstacles that meet. can face in life (Zietman). Works Cited Cross, Leslie. “Jim Kjelgaard, fur trapper writer.” January 15, 1999. Jim Kjelgaard. April 12, 2014 .Kjelgaard, Karen. "Jim Kjelgaard, Memoirs of a Daughter." November 1998. Jim Kjelgaard. April 11, 2014 .Olendorf, Susan M Trosky & Donna. "Biographical Sketches". September 10, 1998. Jim Kjelgaard. April 11, 2014 .Zietman, Rhoda G. "Biography of James Arthur Kjelgaard." November 4, 2013. Pennsylvania Literary and Cultural Heritage Map. April 11th 2014 .