When Kathy-jo Wargin was a young girl, each night after dinner, her mother let her choose between washing the dishes or writing a poem. Before long, she decided that if she grew up to be a writer, she wouldn't have to do any dishes. She has since learned that even though she has published more than twenty award-winning books for children, she still has to wash the dishes. Kathy-jo lives in Minnesota with her husband and her son.