"When I was a kid, my teachers would always write on my report card, 'Douglas is a good student, but he doesn't follow directions.' I still don't follow directions." That is Douglas Florian, whose birthday is March 18th. The child who never followed directions continues to create his own path by writing children's poetry. Some of his books include Monster Hotel, Bing Bang, Boing, and Insectlopedia. They feature animals, colorful pictures he drew and lots of fun poems.

A Native New Yorker, he was both born there and attended Queen's College and The School of Visual Arts. He lives there still, with his wife and their five children.