An American author of acclaimed children's fiction, she is best known for Because of Winn-Dixie (2000) and the Newbery Medal-winning The Tale of Despereaux (2003). Her other works include the Mercy Watson series and Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures. In 1987, she graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in English. She subsequently worked for a book warehouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She published her first novel, Because of Winn-Dixie, in 2000.
