James Arthur Kjelgaard, otherwise known as Jim, was born on December 10, 1910 in New York, New York, as one of six children. Most of his childhood was spent on a farm in the mountains of Pennsylvania. He was a writer and conservationist who loved animals and nature; one of his greatest loves was dogs. After marrying his wife, Kjelgaard's most famous novel was published, Big Red; it was the story of a faithful companionship between a man and a dog (Zietman). He combined his 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 youth, Kjelgaard skipped school to hunt and fish. Although he did not receive a formal education, he did much to educate himself by reading, writing, and exploring the wilderness (Kjelgaard). As a child, he read everything and anything from Rover Boys to Robert Burns. Even though his parents didn't have much money, they provided him with books as much 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 a typewriter, he built a desk from a box and began writing 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 a tumor, but no surgery was necessary at the time. Despite the obstacle, Kjelgaard was able to continue his adventures in nature. As a teenager, Kjelgaard attended Galeton High School where he continued to write. He sent many of his hunting and fishing stories to middle of paper to inspire writers and children around the world to pursue their love of reading and writing, no matter what circumstances or obstacles they face. they meet. can be faced in life (Zietman). Works Cited Cross, Leslie. “Jim Kjelgaard, trapper-writer.” January 15, 1999. Jim Kjelgaard. April 12, 2014. Kjelgaard, Karen. “Jim Kjelgaard, a girl’s memoir.” November 1998. Jim Kjelgaard. April 11, 2014. Olendorf, Susan M Trosky and 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 11 2014 .