Scott O'Dell

Scott O’Dell (1898–1989) was an American author. Born in Los Angeles, he worked as a cameraman, journalist, and newspaper editor before turning to writing. His novels were generally set against carefully researched historical backgrounds. His first book, The Island of the Blue Dolphins (1960), tells the story of a Native American girl who, according to historical accounts, lived alone on a Pacific island from 1835 to 1853. O’Dell received numerous awards for his work, including the Newbery Medal, the Hans Christian Andersen Award, and the German Youth Literature Prize in 1963 for The Island of the Blue Dolphins.