Judith Byron Schachner grew up outside of Boston in the 1950’s. Her early years were not easy but her artwork brought her early success. “On paper I drew myself a world where mothers were healthy and teachers were kind. My life was perfection in pencil.” Judith graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art in 1973 with a BFA in illustration and went straight into the “greeting card factories, which included a stint at Hallmark.” From there she went to married life and the opportunity to devote her energy to children’s book art. She has been illustrating and writing children’s books since 1992, and is the #1 New York Times Best Selling Author/Illustrator of over 23 books for children, including Bits and Pieces, The Skippyjon Jones series, Yo Vikings, The Grannyman and Willy and May. She has won many awards, among them the first E.B. White Read Aloud Award.
