The first time Candice Ransom picked up a pencil, she drew a witch wearing a ball gown, a beehive, and a diamond necklace spraying rays of brilliance. She sketched this masterpiece inside her older sister's Word Mastery Speller, a 1949 textbook which asked students to use "bury" and "occupy" in the same sentence.

No one could guess that five-year-old would one day try to master words as her life's work. Candice kept this talent well hidden while she tried to master other things, such as tying shoes, cutting her own meat, and staying out of the way of her sister who had to buy the spelling book after Candice ruined it.

She learned to tell stories by listening to her mother talk about the "olden days" on the homeplace in the Shenandoah Valley and her sister's original excuses for cutting school ("I broke my arm playing basketball"). After she learned to read, Candice read the print off books she checked out of the library. In second grade, she began writing stories that featured witches living in old houses haunted by annoying ghosts.

Despite her sister's plans to get rid of her, Candice grew up to write books for children. She has published over 100 books (none with witches) for all ages, from board books to young adult. Her books have received many honors, including the National Council of Social Studies, IRA Children's Choice, IRA Teacher's Choice, New York Public Library Best 100 Books, Smithsonian Notable, and several state reading lists.

Candice has given hundreds of presentations to schools, libraries, conferences, and literary festivals. At the age of 50, she went to school to earn back-to-back degrees: an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College and an MA in Children's Literature from Hollins University. She currently teaches in the MA/MFA Children’s Literature program at Hollins University.

She lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, with her husband and three cats. One of the cats, Winchester, has his own blog with a 54-year-old stuffed elephant named Ellsworth. It should be noted that Candice Ransom has little control at home—the cats pretty much run the place.

Hello, Washington, D.C.!
illustrated by David Walker
Sterling, 2011
ages 2 to 5, ISBN 978-1402767122

Calling all patriotic kids! America's capital beckons! Say hello to the White House and a black bear at the National Zoo, soft cherry blossoms and a hard spider sculpture at the National Gallery, the big Lincoln Memorial and a small thrush, the D.C. city bird. Come back soon!

George Washington and the
Story of the U.S. Constitution
illustrated by Jeni Reeves
Millbrook Press, 2011
ages 7 to 9; ISBN 978-0761358770

Late in the spring of 1787, fifty-five men gathered at the Pennsylvania State House. They came to write a new constitution for the United States. George Washington led the group, guiding the delegates through quarrels and debates during that long summer. A Reader's Theater script is included.

What Was the Continental Congress?: And Other Questions About the Declaration of Independence
Lerner, 2011
ages 9 to 12, ISBN 978-0761352273

In September 1774, American colonial leaders gathered in Philadelphia, angry about the taxes they were forced to pay Great Britain. In 1776, after American had gone to war with Great Britain, the leaders wrote, voted on,
and issue the Declaration of Independence. Discover facts about the Declaration of Independence and learn about its place in history.

Why Did English Settlers Come to Virginia?: And Other Questions About the Jamestown Settlement
Lerner, 2011
ages 9 to 12, ISBN 978-0761352280

In December 1606, three ships carrying 105 men and boys set sail from England. The ships headed for the eastern shores of North America where they would establish a new colony known as Virginia. Discover the facts about the Jamestown settlement and learn about its place in early U.S. history.

The Twelve Days of Christmas in Washington, D.C.
illustrated by Sarah Hollander
Sterling, 2010
ages 5 and up, ISBN 978-1-40276-394-6

Christmas in the nation's capital is marvelous-and Olivia's getting to se it all, from the gorgeous trees sparkling near the White House to the fabulous Sculpture Garden where she and cousin James ice skate on the frozen
fountain. And of course, there are plenty of monuments, memorials, and museums-like the amazing Smithsonian, with the ruby-red slippers from The Wizard of Oz and adorable pandas in the zoo, too!

Big Rigs on the Move
Lerner Publications, 2010
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-0-76136-115-2

It hauls heavy cargo. It travels long distances. This big rig is on the move! Learn all about mighty machines this photo-essay filled with lively sidebars and fun facts.

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