Christy Hale is an illustrator, designer, art director and writer. As a young child she liked to draw on tiny pads of paper. She tore off these "illustrations" and tucked them inside books along side the appropriate writing passage. Christy has made books her whole life. She studied calligraphy, bookbinding, letterpress and all other means of fine art and commercial printing, typography, design, and illustration. She received a B.A. in Fine Arts and Masters in Teaching at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, then worked as an art educator for several years.

She relocated to New York to pursue illustration, earned a B.F.A. in illustration at Pratt Institute, then worked in publishing as a designer and art director. She taught at the Center for Book Arts and in the Communication Design department at Pratt--all while simultaneously beginning an illustration career. Christy has illustrated many books for children. Her book Elizabeti's Doll was an ALA Notable, and received a pointer from Kirkus as well as two starred reviews from School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly. Publisher's Weekly called the book "A little slice of perfection.

" After 9/11 Christy and her family moved from Brooklyn to Northern California. She continues working as an illustrator, designer/art director, and as an educator, writing for Scholastic Professional and Instructor Magazine.