Children’s author Deborah Ruddell was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, and grew up in Illinois. She is a former art teacher and graphic designer. Her books of poetry for children include Today at the Bluebird Café: A Branchful of Birds (2007) and A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems (2009). Both books, illustrated by Joan Rankin, offer informative and humorous poems about animals. Ruddell’s Who Said Coo? (2010) was illustrated by her twin sister, Robin Luebs.

Today at the Bluebird Café received recognition as a Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best, and A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk was named an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book and an NCTE/CLA Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts and received the International Reading Association Teacher’s Choice Award.