Kate McMullan, American author of over one hundred children’s books, celebrates her birth date on Jan. 16, 1947, in St. Louis, Mo.

As a child, she loved to read Greek myths, Nany Drew mysteries and animal stories, as long as the animal did not die. She would come home from the library and settle down with a cat, dog or guinea pig on her lap and read for hours.

Kate received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Tulsa in 1969 and taught grade school in Los Angeles, reading to her students every day after lunch and wondering if she couldn’t write books herself. She returned to school at Ohio State University to get her Masters of Arts in 1972, and then taught at the United States Art Force Base in Hahn, West Germany until 1975.

Returning to the United States, she settled in New York City, working as an editor for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. She met James McMullan, an Irish-Canadian illustrator. They married in 1979 and have one daughter, Leigh Fenwick.

Kate has won many awards for her books and is best known for her middle grade series “Dragon Slayers’ Academy” and “Myth-o-Mania,” the Greek myths as told by Hades. She has written many picture books illustrated by her husband, Jim. She writes books for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, beginner readers and upper grades. She also writes under the name Kate Hall. Kate loves doing school visits with children.

At this time, she lives in Sag Harbor, N.Y. We have two of her books (JB), “The Story of Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad” and “The Story of Bill Clinton and Al Gore: Our Nation’s Leaders.”