A complex childhood never stopped Avi from living the life of a respected novelist. On December 23, 1937, Avi Wortis, along with his twin sister Emily, was born in New York City. Throughout his childhood, Avi was forced to deal with the criticism from his school and family.

During his childhood, Avi and his family discovered that he had dysgraphia. Despite the constant criticism from his school, Avi continued to write. Avi felt like an outsider in many social circles. After his junior year in high school, Avi's parents told him he was in desperate need of a tutor. Avi met with a tutor every day of the summer. His tutor not only taught him the basics but also encouraged him to be a skilled writer some day.

After graduating from Elisabeth Irwin High School, Avi attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He received...