A UDREY W OOD Heather Smith Rachel Kemp Sara Roberts Skye Collins

A L ITTLE B IT ABOUT THE A UTHOR : Born: Little Rock, Arkansas Father was an art student who earned extra income by repainting circus murals. Her mother would take her to watch the circus and she loved hearing her mother make up “wonderful” stories about the circus people. Audrey is the eldest of three sisters. When they were younger she took the role as storyteller by making up stories to paintings in their parents’ art books. She decided she wanted to become an artist by 1 st grade and then to become an children’s book author in 4 th grade. First female artists of four consecutive family generations. Met Don Wood at Berkely College in 1969 where she was studying art, and 6 months later they were married. Audrey and Don had one son, Bruce Robert.

I NTERESTING F ACTS : Audrey’s first language was Spanish Some of her favorite books growing up were “The Rescuers” and “The Borrowers”. She began experimenting with her own art while teaching children's art part time and through that began writing stories. Her first babysitters were a family in the circus. When she was little, she was able to swim before she could walk. When she was a child, she got in trouble at school for crossing Dr. Seuss’s name out of a book and writing her own name as the author. After reading picture books to her son, she then began to write children’s books more seriously.

A BOUT H ER W ORKS : 47 books published Both Don and Audrey would submit illustrations for her books and the art director would choose which one he liked best. Her first book was "24 Robbers" published by Child's Play. Her first book with her husband was "Moonflute“. Her book, "Heckedy Peg", took two and a half years to illustrate and four months to write. Her favorite book that she was written is "Heckedy Peg“. She used herself as the inspiration for the mother in "Heckedy Peg“. Audrey used her mother’s house as the model for "The Napping House“.

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