Tracey Campbell Pearson was born in Norwalk, Connecticut. The youngest of four children, her family moved to neighboring Wilton when she was eight years old. While attending Parsons School of Design, she studied with Maurice Sendak and discovered her love for creating children's books. After her graduation from Parsons in 1978, -she began her career as a staff artist at American Greetings Corp. in Cleveland, Ohio. She returned to New York City in 1980, where she began a full-time career as a freelance illustrator. Her first book, We Wish You a Merry Christmas [Dial 19821, was a Booklist reviewer's choice. Since 1980, Tracey Campbell Pearson has illustrated more than twenty-five books for children. She wrote five of those, including The Howling Dog [Farrar Straus arid Giroux 1991, selected as one of the top 100 Classic New England Children's Books, Yankee Magazine. The Purple Hat [FSG 19971 and her recent book, Where Does Joe Go? FSG 1991, which won a-2000 Oppenheim Toy "Portfolio Gold" Award and -receivjed-starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. P.W. describes Joe as "One of the cleversest entries this season...". The story is based on the seasonal changes at a snack bar in her hometown in Vermont. Many of her books - The Awful Aardvarks Go to School [Viking 19971, The Missing Tarts [Viking 19891 - have received starred and notable reviews. Her awards include a Parent's Choice Award for illustration, Time Magazine "Best Books", and Parenting Magazine's "Reading Top Magic" Award. She is also the illustrator of the Claude and Shirley series, written by Joan Lowery Nixon, a Parent's Choice Award winner about an amusing couple who are Texas pioneers. Ms. Pearson moved to Vermont in 1982, where she lives with her husband, son, daughter, dog, cat and chickens ... all of whom have made guest appearances in her books