Jim Kjelgaard was a renowned American author, known for his works in juvenile fiction, young adult, and children's literature. He was born as James Arthur Kjelgaard on December 6, 1910, in New York, to Carroll W. Kjelgaard, a physician. Kjelgaard was the fourth child of the six children born to his parents. The family lived on a large farm spread over seven hundred and fifty acres in Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains, where Kjelgaard spent his childhood. This upbringing in the countryside, surrounded by nature, would later become a significant influence on his writing.
Kjelgaard is best known for his more than 40 standalone books and several book series, including the Chiri series, Big Red series, and the Smoky series. He also penned a few short story collections and edited an anthology. His works often featured dogs and wild animals as protagonists, and he had a unique ability to tell stories from the animal's point of view. One of his most famous books, "Big Red," published in 1945, sold 225,000 copies by 1956 and was made into a 1962 Walt Disney film with the same title.
Unfortunately, Kjelgaard's life was marked by chronic pain and depression, which led him to commit suicide in 1959. Despite his tragic end, his works continue to inspire and captivate readers, serving as a testament to his talent and legacy in American literature.