Megan McDonald

Pretending to be a pencil sharpener was Megan McDonald’s first experience as a writer. She was 10 years old when she wrote the story for her school newspaper. “Anything can become an idea for a story,” says McDonald. “Even a pencil sharpener!” Megan has since written and published twenty-five books for children, including the hilarious Judy Moody adventures, which are largely inspired by her childhood memories of growing up with four older sisters. Megan says, “I’m lucky to be a writer, because I get to spend my days imagining. (And I get to go to work in my pajamas!) I spend my days thinking like a hermit crab or a little blue penguin or a girl who loves bugs. Or pretending I’m a bossy big sister with a little brother named Stink. Or supposing I’m a young girl leaving everything I know behind to travel the Santa Fe Trail back in 1848. I spend my days looking at things sideways, upside down, questioning everything, always wanting to see the inside.”