One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa's old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about "the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labor. Distribute the wealth." "Wealth?" I said. "It's groovy, man," said Arnold.

If I'd known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That's when my 12th summer got really interesting.
© Tim Keating
Gary Paulsen is the distinguished author of many critically acclaimed books for young people, including three Newbery Honor books: The Winter Room, Hatchet, and Dogsong. He won the Margaret A. Edwards Award given by the American Library Association for his lifetime achievement in young adult literature. Among his Random House books are Road Trip (written with his son, Jim Paulsen); Family Ties; Vote; Crush; Flat Broke; Liar, Liar; Paintings from the Cave; Woods Runner; Masters of Disaster; Lawn Boy; Notes from the Dog; The Amazing Life of Birds; Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day; How Angel Peterson Got His Name; Guts; and five books about Francis Tucket's adventures in the Old West. Gary Paulsen has also published fiction and nonfiction for adults. He divides his time between his home in Alaska, his ranch in New Mexico, and his sailboat on the Pacific Ocean. View titles by Gary Paulsen
  • WINNER
    IRA CBC Children's Choice
  • WINNER
    Texas Bluebonnet Master List
  • WINNER
    New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age
  • WINNER
    Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award
  • WINNER | 2010
    Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award
  • WINNER | 2008
    NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies
  • WINNER | 2008
    New Mexico Book Award
  • WINNER | 2008
    New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award
  • WINNER | 2007
    Parents' Choice Award
  • NOMINEE
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • HONOR
    Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award
  • NOMINEE
    Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award
  • NOMINEE
    Washington Sasquatch Reading Program
  • NOMINEE
    Virginia Young Readers Program Award
  • NOMINEE
    South Carolina Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    North Carolina Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE
    New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Florida Sunshine State Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Indiana Young Hoosier Award
  • NOMINEE
    Maine Student Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    New Hampshire Great Stone Face Children's Book Award
  • HONOR | 2010
    Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award
  • NOMINEE | 2008
    Texas Bluebonnet Award
  • NOMINEE | 2008
    ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers
Starred review, Booklist, April 15, 2007:
"[A] short and hilarious tale . . . When it comes to telling funny stories about boys, no one surpasses Paulsen, and here he is in top form."

“Paulsen has mastered the very hard trick of sounding exactly like a twelveyear- old without being either cute or condescending.”
—The New York Times Book Review

About

One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa's old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about "the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labor. Distribute the wealth." "Wealth?" I said. "It's groovy, man," said Arnold.

If I'd known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That's when my 12th summer got really interesting.

Author

© Tim Keating
Gary Paulsen is the distinguished author of many critically acclaimed books for young people, including three Newbery Honor books: The Winter Room, Hatchet, and Dogsong. He won the Margaret A. Edwards Award given by the American Library Association for his lifetime achievement in young adult literature. Among his Random House books are Road Trip (written with his son, Jim Paulsen); Family Ties; Vote; Crush; Flat Broke; Liar, Liar; Paintings from the Cave; Woods Runner; Masters of Disaster; Lawn Boy; Notes from the Dog; The Amazing Life of Birds; Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day; How Angel Peterson Got His Name; Guts; and five books about Francis Tucket's adventures in the Old West. Gary Paulsen has also published fiction and nonfiction for adults. He divides his time between his home in Alaska, his ranch in New Mexico, and his sailboat on the Pacific Ocean. View titles by Gary Paulsen

Awards

  • WINNER
    IRA CBC Children's Choice
  • WINNER
    Texas Bluebonnet Master List
  • WINNER
    New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age
  • WINNER
    Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award
  • WINNER | 2010
    Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award
  • WINNER | 2008
    NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies
  • WINNER | 2008
    New Mexico Book Award
  • WINNER | 2008
    New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award
  • WINNER | 2007
    Parents' Choice Award
  • NOMINEE
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • HONOR
    Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award
  • NOMINEE
    Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award
  • NOMINEE
    Washington Sasquatch Reading Program
  • NOMINEE
    Virginia Young Readers Program Award
  • NOMINEE
    South Carolina Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    North Carolina Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE
    New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Florida Sunshine State Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Indiana Young Hoosier Award
  • NOMINEE
    Maine Student Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    New Hampshire Great Stone Face Children's Book Award
  • HONOR | 2010
    Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award
  • NOMINEE | 2008
    Texas Bluebonnet Award
  • NOMINEE | 2008
    ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers

Praise

Starred review, Booklist, April 15, 2007:
"[A] short and hilarious tale . . . When it comes to telling funny stories about boys, no one surpasses Paulsen, and here he is in top form."

“Paulsen has mastered the very hard trick of sounding exactly like a twelveyear- old without being either cute or condescending.”
—The New York Times Book Review

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