Mary Amato is a writer, choreographer, and shadow puppeteer. Her first book for young readers, The Word Eater, illustrated by Christopher Ryniak, was nominated for Florida's 2003-2004 Sunshine State Award, Washington State's 2003 Sasquatch Reading Award, and many other state awards. Ms. Amato lives with he husband and two sons outside Washington, D.C. She is the fortunate recipient of in-house criticism: Her kids always read her first drafts and tell her which parts they think are funny.
