Growing up in upstate New York, my parents had to beg me to put my books down and go outside to play. I listened, but I kept those books around - and eventually built a career out of them. After earning a Master’s in Children’s Literature from Simmons University in Boston, I spent a decade as a classroom teacher, helping children learn to read and LOVE to read. I also spent time in the school library, as a reading interventionist…and anywhere I could be an all-around “literacy cheerleader.” Growing readers is magical work!

Now, I write books for children. It turns out that creating books for growing readers is a whole new kind of magic - and I love every minute of it. I live in Massachusetts with my husband, two boys, and one snuggly pup. When I’m not busy writing or playing with words in my head (which looks a lot like daydreaming from the outside), you might find our family day-tripping around New England, where the ocean, lakes, and mountains are always calling. No matter where I am, you’ll find a good book nearby. As Stephen King says, “books are a uniquely portable magic.”

I like to carry a bit of magic wherever I go.