Born and raised in New York City, Nikki Grimes began composing verse at the age of six and has been writing ever since. She is the critically acclaimed author of numerous award-winning books for children and young adults, including Coretta Scott King Award winner Bronx Masquerade, Coretta Scott King Honor winner The Road to Paris and New York Times bestseller Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope (illustrated by Bryan Collier). In addition to a Coretta Scott King Award and four Coretta Scott King Honors, her work has received accolades such as the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, Booklist Editors’ Choice, ALA Notable, Bank Street College Book of the Year, Horn Book Fanfare, American Bookseller Pick of the List, Notable Social Studies Trade Book, NAACP Image Award Finalist, and the Golden Dolphin Award, an award given by the Southern California Children’s Booksellers Association in recognition of an author’s body of work. She lives in Corona, California.

Visit her at www.nikkigrimes.com.