Wendelin Van Draanen

About

Known for her Sammy Keyes, Shredderman, and Gecko & Sticky series of children's books, she was the 1999 recipient of the Mystery Writers of America's prestigious Edgar Allan Poe Award.

Before Fame

As a child, she was inspired by the work of Ray Bradbury, as well as by the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew young adult series. She published her first literary work, How I Survived Being a Girl, in the late 1990s.

Trivia

Before becoming a writer, she taught mathematics and computer science at the high school level.

Family Life

The daughter of Dutch-born scientists, she grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She later settled in California with her husband Mark Parsons and her two children.

Associated With

Actor Aidan Quinn appeared in the 2010, Rob Reiner-directed adaptation of Van Draanen's 2001 novel, Flipped.