People like Jon Scieszka

Jon Scieszka ( SHESH-kə:) (born September 8, 1954) is an American children's writer, best known for picture books created with the illustrator Lane Smith. He is also a nationally recognized reading advocate, and the founder of Guys Read – a web-based literacy program for boys whose mission is "to help boys become self-motivated, lifelong readers."

Scieszka was the first U.S. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, appointed by the Librarian of Congress for calendar years 2008 and 2009.

His Time Warp Trio series, which teaches kids history, has been adapted into a television show.

Scieszka (Polish: Ścieszka, pronounced [ˈɕt͡ɕɛʂka]) was born in Flint, Michigan in 1954, the second oldest among six sons of Shirley Scieszka, and Louis Scieszka, a former elementary school principal. He attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana for high school, Albion College in Michigan where he studied English and pre-med. for his B.A., and Columbia University for a Master of Fine Arts in fiction writing.