When he was 37 years old, Richard Peck quit his teaching career to see if he could become a writer. More than 30 years later, Richard Peck is one of America's most popular young adult authors. Some of Peck's novels deal with traumatic subjects such as teen suicide, the death of a loved one, and rape. But he is also known for his ghost stories, comical novels, and historical novels. Peck has published more than 30 books, which include ""Fair Weather"", ""Strays Like Us"", ""The Great Interactive Dream Machine"", ""Ghosts I Have Been"", and ""A Year Down Yonder"", a Newbery Medal winner. He is also the recipient of a National Humanities Medal and the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement. Read about this former teacher's transition to writing success in ""Richard Peck"".