Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Russell Freedman
American author Russell Freedman was known for his nonfiction books for children. He chose topics that were of interest to him, and they included a wide range of subject matter, from animal behavior to important historical figures. Freedman spent much time researching his topics to provide books that were both informative and interesting.
Freedman was born in San Francisco, California, in 1929. He grew up with his parents and one sister. Because of his occupation, Freedman's father, a publishing company sales manager, often entertained highly regarded authors such as John Steinbeck. His mother worked in a bookstore as a clerk. Throughout his childhood, Freedman realized the importance of books. Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson, was one of Freedman's favorite childhood books. Even though he wasn't an exceptional student, he was successful in subjects that interested him such as history and geography. Freedman also enjoyed writing. In junior high school he won a city-wide essay contest.
Following his high school graduation, Freedman attended San Jose State University and later the University of California at Berkeley. He graduated with a degree in English literature. Upon graduation, Freedman was drafted into the armed forces where he was stationed in Korea and Japan during the Korean War.
