Mary Quattlebaum is an award-winning children's book author. Her new picture book Pirate vs. Pirate is a "rip-roaring pirate yarn" (Booklist) about two buccaneers--a guy and a girl--who both want to be the biggest, baddest pirate in the world. School Library Journal gave it a "four-arrrrr! rating."Pirate vs. Pirate was inspired by Mary's husband, who asked for a pirate book so he could dress up like a pirate at book events. Mary actually is amazed at the number of kids (and adults) who, like her husband, want to dress up like pirates and shout "arrrr" along with the characters in the book.Some of Mary's other titles include Winter Friends (starred review, Publishers Weekly), a book of poems based on her snowy city neighborhood, and Sparks Fly High (starred review, Kirkus), her retelling of a Colonial American folktale. Mary's humorous Jackson Jones chapter-book series features a city boy and his adventures in a community garden. The first book, Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns, was called "fast-paced and funny" (Booklist). The latest title, Jackson Jones and the Curse of the Outlaw Rose, is a "unique mystery" (School Library Journal) about a haunted, historical rosebush.Mary is eagerly awaiting two soon-to-be-published picture books. The Hungry Ghost of Rue Orleans is about a playful ghost who haunts a New Orleans restaurant. Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond was inspired by the pond and wild critters of Mary's country childhood.When she is not writing, Mary likes to garden, read, walk the family dogs, play the harmonica (badly), juggle (very badly), and eat popcorn (noisily).