The first three Mercy Watson stories were written by Kate DiCamillo. She's also the author of The Tale of Despereaux, which got the Newbery Medal; Because of Winn-Dixie, which won a Newbery Honor; The Tiger Rising, which was a National Book Award Finalist; and The Miraculous Voyage of Edward Tulane, which won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. She currently resides in Minneapolis.