Laura Purdie Salas celebrates her birthday on October 15th. Born and raised in Florida, Laura had three older sisters who taught her to read. She loved books and had a hard time going outside to play— she wanted to keep reading!

Laura received a degree in English and became a magazine editor and freelance writer on health and education topics. She then taught 8th grade English, which reminded her about all those great children's books, and she determined to write those books herself. With an avid interest in poetry, Laura's first poetry picture book will soon be published by Clarion. She has written nearly 30 nonfiction books for children in kindergarten through 8th grade, including titles such as Charles Drew: Pioneer in Medicine and Trail of Tears. Laura is very proud of a book she wrote for the Child Welfare League called Taking the Plunge. It can help a teen plan and live a successful, independent life. Laura lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband and two daughters.