Megan McDonald


Megan Jo McDonald is an American children's literature author and former librarian best known for the Judy Moody series, which has sold more than 30 million copies. McDonald has written wrote the Julie Albright series for American Girl various picture books.
WWW Official Site

Life and career

McDonald was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to John and Mary Louise McDonald. She is the youngest of five girls, which served as the inspiration for The Sister's Club. She was awarded a B.A. from Oberlin College in 1981, and an M.L.S. from University of Pittsburgh in 1985.
Megan McDonald began her career as a children's librarian, working at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Minneapolis Public Library, and Adams Memorial Library in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Her first book, Is This a House for Hermit Crab?, came as a result of patrons asking her where to find a story she had told to children at a library. McDonald identified Tuck Everlasting and Bridge to Terebithia as books she wished she had written herself.
McDonald is married to Richard Haynes and has lived in Sebastopol, California since the mid 1990s. She receives letters from fans and said in 2005, "I try to write a personal response to every one. I am so impressed when children write to me."

Published works

''Judy Moody'' and ''Stink''

The Judy Moody series follows the humorous adventures of eight-year-old Judy Moody. A spin-off series follows her younger brother, nicknamed Stink. All of the Judy Moody series and Stink series books are illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds.
Among the characters are Judy Moody, Stink Moody, Rocky Zang, Frank Pearl, Jessica Finch, Amy Namey, Alisson Monday, Mr. Todd, Jalisco, Tody, Chloe, and Tori.
Judy Moody books:
  1. Judy Moody
  2. Judy Moody Gets Famous!
  3. Judy Moody Saves the World!
  4. Judy Moody Predicts the Future
  5. Judy Moody, M.D. The Doctor Is In
  6. Judy Moody Declares Independence
  7. Judy Moody: Around the World in 8½ Days
  8. Judy Moody Goes to College
  9. Judy Moody: Girl Detective
  10. Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer
  11. Judy Moody and the Bad Luck Charm
  12. Judy Moody: Mood Martian
  13. Judy Moody and the Bucket List
  14. Judy Moody and the Royal Tea Party
  15. Judy Moody Book Quiz Whiz
  16. Judy Moody: In a Monday Mood
Judy Moody and Stink books:
  1. Judy Moody & Stink: The Holly Joliday
  2. Judy Moody & Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt
  3. Judy Moody & Stink: The Big Bad Blackout
  4. Judy Moody & Stink: The Wishbone Wish
Stink books:
  1. "Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid"
  2. "Stink: and the Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker"
  3. "Stink: and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers"
  4. "Stink: and the Great Guinea Pig Express"
  5. "Stink: Solar System Superhero"
  6. "Stink: and the Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown"
  7. "Stink: and the Midnight Zombie Walk"
  8. "Stink: and the Freaky Frog Freakout"
  9. "Stink: and the Shark Sleepover"
  10. "Stink: and the Attack of the Slime Mold"
  11. "Stink: Hamlet and Cheese"
  12. "Stink: and the Hairy Scary Spider"
  13. "Stink: Superhero Superfan"
  14. "Stink: and the Big Bad Badgers"
Film:

Novels

The Sisters Club Series

  • The Sisters Club
  • The Rule of Three
  • ''Cloudy with a Chance of Boys''

American Girl titles

McDonald was hired to write a series about Julie Albright, the historical character from the 1970s introduced by American Girl in 2007. Julie has divorced parents and lives in California. She organizes a petition for girls to be allowed to play on the school's basketball team, celebrates Earth Day and the United States Bicentennial, and asks her mother what Watergate is.
  • Meet Julie
  • Julie Tells Her Story
  • Happy New Year, Julie!
  • Julie and the Eagles
  • Julie's Journey
  • Changes for Julie
  • A Brighter Tomorrow: My Journey with Julie
  • Pen Pals
  • ''The Gnome Diaries''

Films

Megan McDonald's book, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, was adapted to a movie with the same name released in 2011, directed by John Schultz, with Jordana Beatty in the role of Judy Moody. McDonald co-wrote the screenplay with Kathy Waugh.

Awards