Who is the author Avi?

"Avi" is actually a pen name used by the American author Jerome Richard "Jerry" Spinelli. He's best known for writing children's and young adult fiction.

He chose the pen name "Avi" because he wanted to be known simply as a writer, not by his given name.

Here are some of his famous books:

* The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

* Crispin: The Cross of Lead

* Nothing But the Truth

* Poppy

* The Man Who Was Poe

He's received numerous awards for his work, including the Newbery Medal (for "Crispin: The Cross of Lead") and the National Book Award (for "Nothing But the Truth").