About

Short Bio

I’m an award-winning author of more than ninety books for young readers. My books have been honored with a Riverby Award for Excellence in Nature Writing, a Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, a Green Earth Book Honor, and spots on many state reading lists.

I studied biochemistry at the University of Massachusetts and molecular & cellular biology at the University of Wisconsin.

I’m a member of the National Association of Science Writers, SCBWI, and The Poet’s Garage, a collective of professional children’s poets. I’m represented by Sarah Stephens at Red Fox Literary.

I live in Pennsylvania, where I regularly visit schools, sharing my love of science and the craft of writing.

Here I am at about age three, learning to fish.

Longer Bio

I spent my childhood exploring the fields and forests near my home in western Pennsylvania. I climbed trees, waded in ice-cold streams, and roamed the woods for miles, usually in a pair of old sneakers. I also helped care for my family’s sprawling homestead and large gardens. Those early experiences gave me a deep love of nature and a lot of curiosity about how it works.

I earned a BS in biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts and a PhD in cellular & molecular biology, with a focus on plants, from the University of Wisconsin. I continued my studies of plant biology as a postdoctoral fellow at Penn State University. Along the way, I took coursework to follow my side interest: understanding how children learn science.

Instead of becoming a professor or research scientist, I decided to focus my career on sharing my curiosity about science and nature with young readers.

To date, I have written more than ninety books for kids, along with dozens of articles, some for children and some for everyone. My books have received many honors, including a Riverby Award for Excellence in Nature Writing, a Green Earth Book Honor, a Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, a National Council of Teachers of English Notable designation, multiple starred reviews, and spots on numerous state book lists.

I’m a member of the National Association of Science Writers, SCBWI, and The Poet’s Garage, a collective of professional children’s poets. I’m represented by Sarah Stephens at Red Fox Literary.

I live in State College, Pennsylvania, with my husband — jazz composer Rick Hirsch — where we raised three wonderful daughters. Anna is a writer and yoga teacher living in Philadelphia; Eva teaches elementary students in Washington, DC; and Ellie studies psychology and Italian at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

When I’m not writing, I visit schools to share my love of science and writing. You might also find me in a pair of old sneakers, working in my garden, wrangling pets, or wandering the woods for miles.

Me with a couple of pets. Note the well-worn sneakers.

Me with my husband Rick (above).

Our daughters when they were younger, and more recently, all grown up.