John Shults "Jack" Lawson (August 1, 1923 – December 12, 1993) was an American writer of children's novels.
[2] After serving in World War II he traveled through the mountains of Virginia, where he settled on a farm.
[2] He later worked in New York City, in the brokerage business, but continued to return regularly to the farm, where he and his wife, Charlotte,[1] raised two daughters.
[3] Like his other books, The Spring Rider was based in the southern Appalachian Mountains where Lawson had made his home.
Although all of his books contain some fantastical elements, The Spring Rider, has been recognized as an early example of a ghost story for children.