Prior to writing novels, Ali Benjamin was a respected science writer for children. Her debut middle grade novel, The Thing About Jellyfish, garnered critical acclaim for exploring complex topics like grief and loss in a manner that is accessible to young readers.

Benjamin’s motivation to write The Next Great Paulie Fink stemmed from a desire to comment on universal challenges of growing up. Benjamin’s own childhood experiences inspired protagonist Caitlyn’s awkward experience of finding her way and, moreover, herself at the Mitchell School; upon re-reading her own middle school diaries, Benjamin found them “painful,” full of entries about her “desperation to fit in, to belong” (Grabarek, Daryl. “‘The Next Great Paulie Fink’: A Conversation With Ali Benjamin.” School Library Journal, 7 Mar. 2019). The Next Great Paulie Fink combines some of Benjamin’s varied interests, like ancient philosophy, myth, and science, while posing deep questions about identity. Since Paulie Fink, Benjamin has published her first novel for adults, The Smash Up, which explores the fallout from the 2016 election through a modernized retelling of Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome.