a LITTLE

about my story

I was born in Erie, PA
Me at 8
years old.
Arthur's age.
When we were growing up, our grandma Thora and our great grandmother told us wonderful stories all the time.
I didn't realize it at the time but in third grade, Arthur's world was beginning. Here's my third grade class and in this picture are many of the characters in my Arthur stories.
I don't think Arthur would have ever been a TV star if it weren't for my friend Fred Rogers. He really set the standard for how to use television in ways that were helpful to kids and families. What a wonderful role model for us all.
We live at Pilot Hill Farm on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. The farm is in the middle of over 100 acres of conservation land so it's very quiet. We have an amazing amount of birds.
I get most of my work done here. When we put the gardens to bed for the winter we head to New York City.
We have quite a variety of trees. This is one of my favorites, a Mountain Ash.
The house was built in 1735 and is one of the oldest houses on the island.
My studio is in an old sheep barn which we turned into a garage. I work upstairs.