RICHARD PECK (1934-2018) was born in Decatur, Illinois and lived in New York City for nearly 50 years. The acclaimed author of 35 novels for children and young adults, he won the Newbery Medal for┬аA Year Down Yonder, a Newbery Honor for┬аA Long Way from Chicago, the Scott OтАЩDell Award for┬аThe River Between Us, the Edgar Allen Poe Award for┬аAre You in the House Alone?, a┬аBoston Globe-Horn BookAward Honor for┬аThe Best Man, and the Christopher Medal for┬аThe TeacherтАЩs Funeral. He was the first childrenтАЩs author ever to have been awarded a National Humanities Medal, and was twice a National Book Award Finalist.┬а┬а