In and around the edges of all those jobs I have written poems, stories, and books, books, books. The seed for Out of the Dust grew out of a picture-book idea. I began researching times when people desperately wanted rain and Out of the Dust blossomed into existence. I love writing. I can't wait to get to my keyboard every morning.
Young readers are the most challenging, demanding, and rewarding of audiences.
Adults often ask why I write for the younger set. Karen Hesse lives in Vermont with her husband and two teenaged daughters. ALA Best Book for Young Adults and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year for The Music of the Dolphins .