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Rebecca E. Hirsch, PhD, is the author of eighty books about science and nature for young readers. She is a biologist, writer, and educator who is dedicated to connecting children and young adults to nature and helping them understand scientific discovery. She was awarded the 2017 John Burroughs Riverby Award for Excellence in Nature Writing for Plants Can't Sit Still and the 2018 Green Prize for Sustainable Literature in Youth Books for Climate Migrants: On the Move in a Warming World. Rebecca is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and the National Association of Science Writers.
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My Background
I grew up on a 45-acre farm in western Pennsylvania, the second of four children. I spent my childhood roaming the outdoors, as well as reading, writing, and drawing. When I wanted some time to myself, I discovered that I could retreat into the woods, often accompanied by my dog, to read, draw, and write in peace.
Not surprisingly, I studied science in college: biochemistry at the University of Massachusetts (MS) and then cellular & molecular biology at the University of Wisconsin (PhD). As a graduate student, my research on plant nutrition made a small splash, landing on the cover of Science, a prestigious scientific journal. While in graduate school, I got married and had the first of my three children. After two years of postdoctoral research, and the birth of my second child, I hung up my lab coat, bought a laptop, and set out to share my love of science and nature through writing. Although I intended to write for adults, I soon discovered and fell in love with the world of children's writing. I've written over eighty books for young readers, with more on the way. My books have been NCTE Notable, Junior Library Guild, and Bank Street Best Books selections, and have won a Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, a John Burroughs Riverby Award for Excellence in Nature Writing, and a Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award. I live in the mountains of Pennsylvania with my husband, kids, and far too many pets. When I'm not writing, you can find me digging in my garden or taking regular walks in the woods with my dog. |
With my husband, Rick
With my three daughters, Eva, Anna, and Ellie
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