Karen Hesse was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, began college at nearby Towson State University, then transferred on a work study program to the University of Maryland at College Park. There, she worked in the McKelden library, shelving and cataloging books, and helping reference patrons. After graduation she held jobs as a benefit coordinator for the University of Maryland, a librarian, teacher, advertising secretary for Country Journal magazine, typesetter, and proofreader. She married her college boyfriend, Randy Hesse, and now lives with him and their two daughters, Kate and Rachal, in Brattleboro, Vermont. She says that as a typesetter in 1980 she realized that she probably had a talent for writing children's books, but she did not publish her first book for young people, Wish on a Unicorn, until 1991. Since then, she has published at least one book every year—some for young...