Kate DiCamillo

Katrina Elizabeth DiCamillo (born March 25, 1964) is an American writer of children's fiction for all reading levels, usually featuring animals. She is one of six people to win two Newbery Medals, recognizing her novels The Tale of Despereaux (2003) and Flora & Ulysses (2013). Her best-known books for young children are the Mercy Watson series, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. DiCamillo was the U.S. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, appointed by the Library of Congress for the term comprising 2014 and 2015.