Kjelgaard, Jim, 1910-1959

American author of young adult fiction; noted for his outdoor stories for boys.

From the description of Tigre : production material, ca. 1958-1961. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62406189

From the description of Trading Jeff and his dog : production material, ca. 1955-1956. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62494790

From the description of Furious moose of the wilderness : production material, ca. 1959-1965. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62494786

From the description of Coyote song : production material, ca. 1959-1969. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62494785

From the description of Hi Jolly! : production material, ca. 1959. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62494787

From the description of We were there at the Oklahoma Land Run : production material, ca. 1956-1957. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62451629

From the description of The story of Geronimo : production material, ca. 1958. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62451628

From the description of Snow dog ; production material, ca. 1948. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62444004

From the description of The spell of the White Sturgeon : production material, ca. 1953. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62494789

From the description of The lost wagon : production material, ca. 1955. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62494788

From the description of Lion hound : production material, ca. 1955. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62680755

From the description of The duck-footed hound : production material, ca. 1959-1960. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62680754

From the description of Forest patrol : production material, ca. 1941. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62406185

From the description of Swamp cat : production material, ca. 1957. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62406188

From the description of Haunt fox : production material, ca. 1954. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62406186

From the description of Dave and his dog, Mulligan : production material, ca. 1959-1966. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62406184

From the description of Papers, 1941-1969 (bulk 1941-1959). (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62406183

From the description of Rescue dog of the high pass : production material, ca. 1958. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62406187

Jim (James Arthur) Kjelgaard was born December 5, 1910 in New York City. He grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania and later studied for 2 years at Syracuse U. in New York. In 1938 he decided to pursue a career in writing, and in 1941 published his first book for young adults, Forest Patrol. The story was based on the wilderness experiences of his brother, a forest ranger, and himself. During the next 18 years he wrote many books for young adults. His stories featured engaging animals, colorful characters, and distinctive settings. Some of his books drew on his own experiences, while others were works of historical fiction. The wilderness, either contemporary or historical, served as the setting for most of his books, and he researched his settings carefully through travel and reading. Critics and reviewers praised his works for telling a good story with simplicity, and for his fine plots and action. In 1957 he received the Western Writers of American Spur Award for Wolf Brother, a story about an Apache Indian warrior who is forced to take refuge with a renegade band. Jim Kjelgaard died on July 12, 1959, in Milwaukee.

Biographical Sources: Something About the Author, vol. 17 ; Twentieth Century Children's Writers, 3rd ed. pp. 533-535

From the guide to the Jim (James Arthur) Kjelgaard Papers, 1941-1961, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc])