Cynthia DeFelice was born December 28, 1951, in Philadelphia, PA, the daughter of a psychiatrist and an English teacher. Her maiden name was Baldwin. She married Robert DeFelice, a dentist, in 1974. She worked variously as a barn painter, child care provider, and advertising layout artist. She received a B.A. from Smith College in 1973 and an M.L.S. from Syracuse University in 1980. She has followed a career of storytelling and writing. She is a co-founder of Wild Washerwoman Storytellers, 1980, and a member of Authors Guild, Authors League of America, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, National Storytelling Association, and several environmental organizations. Many of her books reflect her environmental concerns. Her books feature young people thrust into situations that require them to make decisions for themselves and to assume serious responsibilities. Her books create a then-what-happened curiosity that keeps readers turning the pages.
Biographical Sources: Something About the Author, vol. 79, 121
From the guide to the Cynthia DeFelice papers, 1990-1999, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc])
