MITALI BANERJEE RUTHS grew up in Houston, Texas, and dreamed of becoming an astronaut someday. She has worked as a babysitter, an ice cream seller, and a medical doctor. She is the author of the picture book Archie Celebrates Diwali, the Scholastic Branches early chapter book series The Party Diaries, and the Scholastic Acorn early reader series The Inside Scouts. Mitali lives in Canada with her husband, three kids, and their dog, Tux.