Shusterman started life and brought up in Brooklyn, New York. Even from a young age, Shusterman was an avid reader. At age 8, Shusterman sent a letter to E. White, informing him that he believed Charlotte's Web needed a sequel. White replied, stating he thought the book was fine as it was, requiring no sequel, but encouraged Shusterman to continue composing. At age 16, Shusterman and his family moved to Mexico City. He finished university there and quotes, Having an international experience changed my life, giving me a fresh perspective on the world, and a sense of confidence I might not have otherwise. He attended the High school of California, Irvine, where he double-majored in psychology and theater, and was also on the varsity swim team. During his years there, he created a popular humor column for the colledge paper. After college, he got a job as an assistant at Irvin Arthur Associates, a talent agency in Los Angeles, where Lloyd Segan became his agent. Within a year, Shusterman had his first book deal, and a screenwriting job. He currently lives in Southern California with his four children.
(Neal Shusterman photo #2)
Shusterman won the Boston Globe-horn Book Prize for The Schwa Was Here, and most recently the book won the 2008 California Young Reader Medal.
Neal Shusterman
