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John Becker has led a life filled with adventure. He is a 1960 graduate who, despite the lack of local facilities, was an outstanding hockey player. He also participated in other high school sports. But his first love was hockey and he selected Ohio University because it was the only college with a rink on campus. He then transferred to Ohio State when its rink opened. He played varsity freshman year on and was a member of two league championship teams.

After graduation he became an elementary school teacher in Pontiac, Michigan and then went back to Ohio State University where he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees. He became a college professor, teaching others how to be good teachers. He also coached hockey at the college level. He co-authored a college textbook, “Perceptual-Motor-Learning – Theory and Practice.”

When his children, John and Janean were young, he wanted to write stories that they would enjoy and began writing for children, and that has now become a vocation for him.

In 1978, he took a break from teaching to be an administrator at the Columbus Zoo. As part of his job he wrote articles for the zoo newsletter “ZooViews” He began writing magazine articles to share what he had learned about wild animals. He had the chance to go to Africa, the rainforests of Central America and the Amazon Rainforest. Those trips gave him great stories to write.

In 1988, he helped start a conservation organization for wild cats, the International Society for Endangered Cats in hopes of protecting wild animals.

He has many books to his credit including a series called “Returning Wildlife” published by Kid Haven Press. His latest book is “Mugambi’s Dangerous Journey,” published by Gingham Dog Press. He has been on television and radio, including “Good Morning America.”

He currently teaches young writers at the Thurber Writing Academy in Columbus, where he lives, and teach writing through the Greater Columbus Arts Council’s Artist in Schools programs.