Ben Mikaelsen is the author of nine children's books, which have won a total of 26 awards and have been nominated for 49 more. His published titles include Ghost of Spirit Bear, Countdown, Red Midnight, Rescue Josh McGuire, Petey, Touching Spirit Bear, Sparrow Hawk Red, Stranded, and Tree Girl.

Early in his career, Mikaelsen learned the importance of perseverance in a successful career. It took almost 6 years and 127 rejections before Rescue Josh McGuire was finally picked up to be published.

Mikaelsen's articles have appeared in many magazines around the globe. He was also featured on Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures. Along with his many adventures, such as flying over the North Pole and taking a four-month trip to South America, Mikaelsen has also adopted a 750-pound black bear named Buffy and raised it for 25 years.

In his interviews, Mikaelsen speaks of his experiences swimming with dolphins and living with children on the streets of Mexico, all of which fuels his writing. He travels for research, but calls his log cabin in Bozeman, Montana home.