Level 13

Gordon Korman, a Canadian author, has significantly impacted children's and young adult literature. Born on October 23, 1963, in Montreal, Quebec, Korman's writing journey began at a young age (Korman, Gordon. “About Gordan Korman.” Gordon Korman). He wrote his first book, This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall, at the age of 12 for a 7th-grade English assignment (Korman). By the time he was in high school, he had already become a published author, setting the stage for his writing career.

Korman attributes his success to “a combination between real life and pure imagination” (“Gordon Korman.” Scholastic). This approach is evident in Level 13, where Cam tries to become a professional streamer, one of the few professions minors can make significant money doing. There is a fine balance between realistic scenarios and the ridiculous, like Elvis, the beaver video game enthusiast.

One of the hallmarks of Korman's work is his knack for infusing humor and adventure into his stories, as seen in Level 13. What starts as a coming-of-age story takes a turn with the addition of Cam's stalker. Korman uses humor throughout, particularly pointing out the contradiction between Cam's motivations and how others view them.