Carolyn Marsden is the author of several acclaimed novels for young readers. She says, "In January 2005, I traveled in Vietnam with a Buddhist delegation led by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The people I met and the stories I heard in Vietnam inspired this story of Binh." Carolyn Marsden lives in La Jolla, California.
Carolyn Marsden was born in Mexico City of missionary parents. She spent six years in Mexico before moving to southern California. Her husband is from Thailand, and together they have two daughters. Because of these diverse influences in her life, Carolyn is drawn to writing about children outside mainstream American culture.
The Gold-Threaded Dress, Carolyn’s first published book, was favorably reviewed in the New York Times and received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. It made several state lists and was one of the Booklist Top Ten First Youth Novels of 2002.
Silk Umbrellas, set in Thailand, which received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, was one of the Booklist Top Ten Art Novels of 2003, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a nominee for the 2005 Texas Bluebonnet Award.
Working in collaboration with people who grew up in fascinating cultures, Carolyn has gone on to write award-winning books set in Vietnam, Mexico, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and Italy.
Three Things You Might Not Know About Carolyn:
1. If I weren’t a writer, I would be a visual artist. I love to paint and collage!
2. I also love to play with my two rescue dogs—a golden cocker spaniel and a terrier/whippet/beagle mutt.
3. I also love to dance: ballet, hip hop, improv, and modern.
