Mitali Perkins - Click to see all titles by this author.

“One of life’s greatest joys is to create spaces where young people feel safe, welcome, and beloved. Stories are one such space.”

Mitali Perkins spent most of her early life moving, frequently crossing borders and leaned on books as her rock and safe place. Born in Kolkata (Calcutta), India, she lived in Ghana, Cameroon, London, Thailand, New York, and Mexico, before eventually settling in California by middle school.

She studied political science at Stanford University and public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, spending her junior year in Vienna and Russia. She then taught middle school, high school, and college. The author of many fiction novels for young readers, her protagonists are often strong characters crossing borders, promoting justice, and seeking community. “My own fictional niche is to represent and champion the marginalized child.”

Selected as a “Literary Light for Children” by the Associates of the Boston Public Library, Mitali’s other honors include serving as a judge for the National Book Award and the Kirkus Prize.

She and her husband, a Presbyterian minister, have grown twin sons and live in California. Mitali loves to hike trails with her Labrador Retrievers, play tennis, and spend time in libraries and bookstores.