Michaela Muntean
Children's Book Author, Michaela Muntean
A Few Things About Me
I was born in Omaha, Nebraska but grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the oldest of seven children. I would write plays and make my three sisters and three brothers perform in them. I think I was pretty bossy about it.
Living in a house full of kids was great--there was always someone to play with--but it could also be way too noisy, especially if you liked to read, and I loved reading. Fortunately, there was a large walk-in closet where I'd hide out with a stack of books.
For me, books were tickets to other places. They were windows into other people's lives, to adventures and wonderments and magic. Love of reading led to a love of ideas and, eventually, to trying to put those ideas into words. When I began writing I found that I loved telling stories almost as much as I loved reading them.
I ended up writing lots of books -- for Sesame Street, for the Muppets, for Little Golden Books.
I've lived in New York City, surrounded by tall buildings and millions of people. I've lived on an island, surrounded by the sea. I now live in the Hudson Valley with my husband, Nik Cohn, and our dogs, Beau and Tess. Every morning, they come to my office to work with me.
My staff, asleep on the job
Books
My most recent books include Do Not Open This Book. It's about a Pig who's trying to write a story but the reader keeps interrupting him. He's incredibly crabby, but he's also funny. Pascal Lemaitre illustrated it. I think he's brilliant (and also funny). In April, 2020, there will be another book about the same Pig called Do Not EVER Be a Babysitter.
Another book that has a special place in my heart is Stay, a true story about a circus performer who rescued ten dogs no one else wanted and trained them to perform in a circus act.
Three More Things About Me
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I wish I could sing, but I can't. In fact, a music teacher once asked if I could just "mouth the words" so that those around me wouldn't be thrown off key.
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I may stink at singing, but I am excellent at mini-golf.
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I went to welding school. So, if you ever need something welded, I could do it for you.
Photos by K.C. Bailey / Drawings by Pascal Lemaitre