Rene Saldana Jr.

René Saldaña Jr. is an American poet, novelist, and educator from south Texas. He earned a B.A. in English from Bob Jones University, an M.A. in English from Clemson University, and a Ph.D. from Georgia State University in English and creative writing; he has also taught middle school and high school and later became a professor at Texas Tech University.

He is the author of several books for young readers and young adults, including The Jumping Tree, The Whole Sky Full of Stars, and A Good Long Way (2010). According to publisher and author bio sources, he has focused much of his work on the lives and relationships of young people in South Texas and the Texas-Mexico border region.