The author of the Edgar Award-winning young adult mystery novel The Weirdo (1989), Taylor is also well known for the multi-award-winning historical children's novel The Cay (1969); the Scott O'Dell Award-winning work The Bomb (1995); and the 2006 book The Flight of Leroy Brown. He published his debut young adult work, The Magnificent Mitscher, in 1955, following his military service in World War II.
