Rebecca Janni learned early on that biking was the best way to get around the neighborhood and reading was the best way to get around the world. On a bus ride home from school, Rebecca confided to a friend that she was working on a novel about a girl and her horse. She never finished the novel, but a horse of a different hoof shows up in Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse and Every Cowgirl Needs Dancing Boots, both published by Dutton Children's Books. Rebecca has two more picture books forthcoming and lots of other projects on her desk, including a middle grade novel without any horses. She has a master's degree in English education and has taught high school and college English and creative writing. Today, she divides her time between volunteering, adjunct teaching, and writing -- all of which take a back seat to motherhood! She lives in Iowa with her husband, four children, Greg the Gecko, and a big-hearted dog named Mickey. She loves to read and bike with her family, but not at the same time.