Kathryn Erskine, a lawyer-turned-young adult author, grew up in six countries, an experience that helps her write from different perspectives. Her novels include the 2010 National Book Award winner for Young People's Literature, Mockingbird, also a 2011 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick and 2011 ALA Children's Notable Book; Quaking; an ALA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and The Absolute Value of Mike, a Junior Library Guild selection. Her novels often cover weighty topics; Mockingbird was inspired both by her daughter’s diagnosis with Asperger’s Syndrome and the April 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech. However, her books use humor to make difficult issues approachable. She is a writing instructor and frequent workshop presenter.

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