AUDREY COULOUMBIS's first book for children, Getting Near to Baby, won the Newbery Honor in 2000. Audrey is also the author of several other highly acclaimed books for young readers, including The Misadventures of Maude March (which was named a Book Sense 76 Pick, a New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection, and a National Parenting Publications Gold Award Winner) Love Me Tender (a Book Sense Summer 2008 Pick) and War Games which she coauthored with her husband Akila Couloumbis (a 2010 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and a Horn Book Fanfare Best Book). Audrey lives in upstate New York and Florida with her dog Phoebe, and Phoebe's two pet parakeets Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.