Patricia Lauber, who celebrates her birthday on February 5th, strives to "make science both an entertaining as well as an enriching experience for children." Titles such as Adventure At Black Rock Cave (1959) and Dinosaurs Walked Here and Other Stories Fossils Tell (1992) are tributes to this credo, and to her knack for detailed and extensive research.

With over 80 titles to her credit, this New York-born writer and former editor was a Newbery Honor winner in 1986 with Volcano: Eruption and Healing of Mount St. Helens.