Jerry Spinelli (born February 1, 1941)[1] is an American writer of children's novels that feature adolescence and early adulthood.

At the age of 16, his love of sports inspired him to compose a poem about a recent football victory, which his father published in the local newspaper without his knowledge.

It was at this time he realized that he would not become a major league baseball player, so he decided to become a writer.

[5] Spinelli graduated from Gettysburg College in 1963 and acquired his MA from Johns Hopkins University in 1964.

[5] Since about 1980, as Eileen Spinelli, she has collaborated with illustrators to create dozens of picture books.