Barbara S. Hazen was born in Dayton (Ohio) in 1930. Having completed her studies at Columbia University, she worked for the ›Ladies' Home Journal‹ magazine, where she held various positions including that of poetry editor. She left the magazine in order to take up a post as editor for ›Western Publishing Company‹, and it was here that she began writing children's books herself. She has been a full-time writer ever since the birth of her son in 1960. She has, to date, published more than 80 books, mainly for children and young adults and has received various awards for them. Barbara Shook Hazen now lives in Manhattan (New York) and Otis (Massachusetts).