Avi is part of a family of writers extending back to the 19th century. In fact, his twin sister is a writer too. Born and raised in New York City, Avi was educated in local schools, then went off to the Midwest to complete his education. He started out as a playwright—while working for many years as a librarian—and began writing books for young people when the first of his many children came along. The first was Things That Sometimes Happen, published in 1970. By the end of 2001 he had published 50 books. Winner of many awards, including two Newbery Honors, a Horn Book Award and an O'Dell Award, plus many Children's Choice Awards, he frequently travels to schools around the country to talk to his readers. He is also founder of "Breakfast Serials," the program that brings good books to children through our nation's newspapers. He currently resides in Denver, Colorado, with his family.
