I grew up in Havertown, Pennsylvania, where I wrote and illustrated my first book in the third grade. SUPER COW! was a smash hit both with critics (my teacher) and collectors (my parents).

When I was twelve years old, my family moved to Florida. My parents tried to get me and my two brothers excited about our move by buying us season passes to Disney World. I loved watching the animators at work on the Backstage Tour, and I decided I wanted to work for Disney when I grew up. 

I attended the Rhode Island School of Design, but soon found myself drawn back towards illustration instead of animation. After graduation and a slew of ill-fated careers (including a portrait artist on a Carnival Cruise ship and a conductor of illegal tours through the Vatican Museums), I began working as a book designer with HarperCollins Children's Books in New York. 

Many of my books are based on my real-life experiences. I played roller derby with the Rose City Rollers in Portland, Oregon- which is why I wrote ROLLER GIRL. I also worked at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival in Florida when I was in high school, which is the basis for ALL'S FAIRE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. And lastly, my older brother had two pet hamsters when we were kids, named George and Martha Washington- hence, G.W. in THE GREAT PET ESCAPE.

I now live in Pennsylvania with my family.