Das verlassene Boot am Strand

Scott O'Dell was born in 1898 in Los Angeles and died in 1989. Influenced by the then still pristine landscape of California, he stated that his home, childhood, and youth experiences form the backdrop of his children's books. He studied psychology, history, and English at Occidental, Stanford, and Wisconsin universities, and initially worked as a cameraman, then as a journalist, and as an editor of a newspaper.

His stories often center around historical figures, who are designed as identification figures. In addition to his own experiences, extensive source studies provide the framework for his books. His first book, "The Island of the Blue Dolphins" (1960), known in German as "Insel der blauen Delphine" (dtv junior 7257), became a worldwide success and was also awarded the German Youth Literature Prize. It tells the story of a Native American girl who, historically documented, lived alone on an island in the Pacific from 1835 to 1853. This volume has been translated into eleven languages. Scott O'Dell's literary work has received numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal and the Hans Christian Andersen Award.