Vivivan Vande Velde is the author of over thirty books for children and teenagers. Since her first novel, A Hidden magic, Vande Velde has explored identity by developing characters that run counter to the norm, in an easy, humorous style that young readers find irresistible. Vande Velde finds inspiration in each new character she writes, and in the readers she meets on her travels. She has won numerous awards for her many books.