Richard Wayne Peck was born in Decatur, Illinois on April 5, 1934, into a traditional family that lived in an old-fashioned neighborhood on the "right side" of town. His mother told him stories and introduced him to books and reading. His father often took him to his gas station in the working class neighborhood across town.

From his family and the colorful characters who gathered at his father's gas station, Peck heard exciting tales of real life and learned to listen very closely to what other people said.

These early experiences plus the demanding work required by teachers such as the dreaded Miss F, his high school English teacher, helped Peck develop the skills that he would need later when he became a writer.

After attending DePauw University (earning a bachelor's degree in 1956), he spent 1954-1955 abroad at the University of Exeter in England. While he...