Neal Shusterman is a New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults. He was born on November 12, 1962, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Shusterman began writing at an early age and spent his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City. He then attended UC Irvine, where he was part of the UCI swim team and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he secured his first book deal and was hired to write a movie script.

In his career, Shusterman has become a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. He is known for his significant contributions to young adult fiction, having won the 2015 National Book Award for Young People's Literature for his book Challenger Deep and receiving the Michael L. Printz Honor for his novel, Scythe. Additionally, he won the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 2024 for his lasting contribution to writing for teens.

His notable works include Courage to Dream, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book, the Unwind Dystology, which has won more than thirty domestic and international awards, and the novels Dry and Roxy, co-written with his son Jarrod. Many of his novels are being developed as TV series and movies.

Shusterman has received numerous awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association and the American Library Association. He is not only a storyteller but also a dynamic speaker, often in demand at schools and conferences. With degrees in psychology and drama, he creatively weaves true-to-life characters into his novels, tackling sensitive and riveting issues with humor.

Neal Shusterman resides in Jacksonville, Florida, but travels extensively, engaging with readers worldwide. Visit his website at www.storyman.com.