Karen Cushman was born on October 4th. She grew up in Chicago. Although she wrote poetry and plays when she was young, she didn't start writing professionally until she was fifty years old. Her first book, Catherine, Called Birdy, won a Newbery Honor in 1995. Her second book, The Midwife's Apprentice, won the Newbery Award in 1996. Karen holds two MA degrees, one in human behavior and one in museum studies. She says, "I grew tired of hearing about kings, princes, generals, presidents. I wanted to know what ordinary life was like for ordinary young people in other times." Her most recent book is The Loud Silence of Francine Green.
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