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The quick version:
I’m the author of twelve books for children, most recently DIGGER, DOZER, DUMPER (Candlewick Press, illustrated by David Slonim). Its companion, HAMMERS, DRILLS AND WRENCHES (also Candlewick Press and illustrated by Slonim) will arrive in stores in July, 2026. I’ve also written one book for teachers: Weaving the Literacy Web: Creating Curriculum Based on Books Children Love (Redleaf Press) and I’m the co-author of Nothing Rhymes With Orange (Perigee), a rhyming dictionary for poets and songwriters. I was an early childhood teacher and center director for many years before I began writing for children. In my second act, I wrote freelance developmental materials for parents and early childhood professionals, edited an early childhood website, and tended cows, horses, pigs and dogs on a small farm just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan. Third Act: I’ve been Communications Director for a local school district for eleven years. And, of course, I continue to write. Stay tuned!
I’m the author of twelve books for children, most recently DIGGER, DOZER, DUMPER (Candlewick Press, illustrated by David Slonim). Its companion, HAMMERS, DRILLS AND WRENCHES (also Candlewick Press and illustrated by Slonim) will arrive in stores in July, 2026. I’ve also written one book for teachers: Weaving the Literacy Web: Creating Curriculum Based on Books Children Love (Redleaf Press) and I’m the co-author of Nothing Rhymes With Orange (Perigee), a rhyming dictionary for poets and songwriters. I was an early childhood teacher and center director for many years before I began writing for children. In my second act, I wrote freelance developmental materials for parents and early childhood professionals, edited an early childhood website, and tended cows, horses, pigs and dogs on a small farm just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan. Third Act: I’ve been Communications Director for a local school district for eleven years. And, of course, I continue to write. Stay tuned!
The extended version: Born in New Orleans and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I returned to this area after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology (minor in Geology) from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. I have always been a writer—letters, newsletters, parodies, poems—but began writing books for children after many years teaching preschool. I wanted to know what attracted kids to the books they loved, and why some apparently beautiful books didn’t hold their interest. I happened upon a newspaper advertisement for a class about writing picture books taught by Nancy Shaw (Sheep in a Jeep) and Tracy Gallup (Stone Crazy), signed up, and I was hooked. I’m the author of twelve books for children, most recently DIGGER, DOZER, DUMPER (Candlewick Press, illustrated by David Slonim). Its companion, HAMMERS, DRILLS AND WRENCHES (also Candlewick Press and illustrated by Slonim) will arrive in stores in July, 2026. I’ve also written one book for teachers: Weaving the Literacy Web: Creating Curriculum Based on Books Children Love (Redleaf Press) and I’m the co-author of Nothing Rhymes With Orange (Perigee), a rhyming dictionary for poets and songwriters. As a long-time early childhood teacher and center director, I presented frequently about early childhood development, early literacy, as well as the craft of writing at local, state and national conferences. I lived on a small farm just outside of Ann Arbor for many years with my family and a menagerie of animals including cows, horses, ponies, pigs, and dogs. I’m an avid gardener, photographer, and amateur bird watcher. I feel lucky when I’m greeted by a bluebird first thing on a sunny morning. For the last eleven years, I’ve worked as Communications Director for a local public school district and enjoy all aspects of that work immensely. And, of course, I continue to write: more books for children and non-fiction for adults. Stay tuned!
The fun version: Growing up in a relatively chaotic household with eleven brothers and sisters, I developed special talents for fibbing, fudging (i.e., figuring out how to make things work), and cleaning up big messes. I believe all three skills help me write funny, honest books for children. My first published poem was written at age seven for a summer poetry class. I distinctly remember being surprised and tickled by the teacher reaction to it. Here’s the poem: When I was little, I ate a lightbulb and it tasted good. The instructor, Shutta Crum, in a serendipitous twist of fate, turned out to be a member of the critique group I joined when I began writing for children. Although I couldn’t recall her name until we connected, I always remembered how it felt when she was delighted by my poem, which she thought was a metaphor. The poem was not a metaphor—it actually happened when I was a baby. (At the time, my mom thought I was eating potato chips. I survived unscathed.) But it certainly worked as a metaphor, and although I didn’t have words for the sensation at that time, I realized that words are powerful and context matters. I tend to write stories about spirited kids behaving “badly” who eventually figure out how to fix things, which is a good summary of my growing up years. Besides growing up with a passel of creative siblings, other influential experiences include working at a YMCA camp in Oscoda, Michigan for many years, raising two sons and a bunch of animals on a small farm, and connecting with peers through professional organizations for teachers, writers, and now, school public relations.