photo credit: Joslin Buhrman

About me:

When I was growing up, I dreamed of being many different things: a lighthouse keeper, a teacher, a writer, or a scientist studying animals in the wild. 

Years later, I have been able to do most of them. (I still need to figure out how to get that lighthouse keeper gig.) 

I have worked as a scientist trying to understand how and why animals do what they do. (I have a Ph.D. in animal behavior.) I have taught biology and writing. And now I write books for young and curious readers.

Writing is a challenge—I get stuck a lot. But it is also a joy. I am grateful for every day I get to play with words while exploring the world around me. It is both humbling and awesome (in the wonderful, old sense of the word) to know that there is always more to learn.

I am happiest when I am outside, whether hiking through forests, paddling on the water, or puttering in my garden. I live near Rochester, NY with my husband and sons.