Susan Patron was born in Los Angeles, California in 1948. She worked as a children's services librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library for 35 years and is an acclaimed author of children's books, having won the Newbery Award for The Higher Power of Lucky in 2007. Patron has served on numerous book award committees, is a member of the Advisory Board of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and reviews children's literature.