Paul Zindel Jr. was an American playwright, young adult novelist, and educator. Born on May 15, 1936, and passing away on March 27, 2003, Zindel left a significant mark on American literature through his extensive and varied body of work.

In 1964, he penned The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, his first and most successful play. This groundbreaking work ran off-Broadway in 1970 and on Broadway in 1971, capturing the attention of critics and audiences alike. Its success was further cemented when it won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was adapted into a movie by 20th Century Fox in 1972.

Zindel's literary journey began under the encouragement of Charlotte Zolotow, then a vice-president at Harper & Row (now HarperCollins), who invited him to write for her book label. He authored 39 books, all of which were aimed at children or young adults. Many of these works were set in his hometown of Staten Island, New York, and were often semi-autobiographical. They focused on teenage misfits with abusive or neglectful parents, addressing dark subject matters with sensitivity and insight.