Laura Vaccaro Seeger is a New York Times best-selling author and illustrator and the recipient of a 2008 Caldecott Honor, Theodor Seuss Geisel Honors for both 2009 and 2008, a 2007 New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award, and the 2007 Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Best Picture Book.

Born on June 11th and raised on Long Island, New York, Laura lived with her parents, Vera and Phil, brothers, Billy and Tommy, sister, Linda, and both grandmothers.  She began drawing at two years old and never stopped.

She studied art at the School of Fine Art and Design at SUNY Purchase in Westchester, New York, where she received her BFA degree.  After graduating from art school, she moved to Manhattan and began a career as an animator, artist, and editor in the network television business.  She created show openings and special segments for NBC and ABC for many years and she won an Emmy Award for an opening animation for an NBC special.

Laura has been an artist and a writer for as long as she can remember and has always wanted to make picture books for children.  In fact, she recently came across an essay that she'd written while in the fifth grade, where she stated with absolute certainty that she was born to make picture books.  By that time, she had written and illustrated her own little library.  Over the years, she continued to make books of all shapes and sizes and several years ago, she decided it was time to try to get some of her books published.  She was fortunate to have met her editor, Neal Porter, almost immediately.  They are now starting work on their thirteenth book together and have plans for many more.

Laura now lives in Rockville Centre, Long Island, with her husband, Chris, their two sons, Drew and Dylan, and their dog, Copper, the star of her "Dog and Bear" series.  She loves painting, writing, surfing, boating, tennis, playing the piano, and spending time with her family.  She takes long walks at the beach every day and paints in her studio every night.