Once upon a time, I was a pastry chef, and before that I worked in an office, crunching numbers. Writing and illustrating children's books is by far the best job I've ever had (well, that is, after being a mom). I fell in love with picture books from reading so many to my children. Then I took some classes at MassArt and tried my hand at making one myself. I got my first job illustrating a poem for Click magazine in 2001. Two years later my first picture book was published. Now I'm working on lots more.

I live with my husband and three girls in a small town just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. My kids give me lots of ideas for stories and the pictures that go with them. Every morning, before I start working, I eat one giant malted milk ball (I tell myself it makes me more creative).

Ten Things You didn't Know about Me

1. My favorite book as a child was Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish.

2. I always carry some penny candy in my purse, just in case.

3. Sometimes I sneak out to the movies when I should be working.

4. One day, I'd like to work for Pixar and make an animated movie.

5. I got the idea for Miss Mingo from drinking so many Snapple® iced teas.

6. My favorite part of a picture book is the endpapers.

7. I can't resist collecting things – my biggest collection right now is of magnets. When I was little, I collected pigs and Wacky Packages.

8. My girls, my husband (even the neighbors) pose for me if I need models for an illustration.

9. I love Mud Pie ice cream, especially when it's soft and soupy.

10. When I was doing research for Don't Grown Ups Ever Have Fun?, I stuck cooked pasta to the kitchen walls to see if it would stick... and all of the wall paint came off with the pasta!