Atkins, Marcie Flinchum

As a kid, Laura Purdie Salas devoured books. Her three big sisters taught her to read when she was 4, and she read constantly, ignoring orders from her parents to "Go outside and get some fresh air!" She grew up in Florida and heard these dreaded words year round. When forced outside, she climbed up to her treehouse or lay on the trampoline, reading. Books were magic, and it never occurred to her that real people actually wrote them.

Today, Laura is thrilled to be part of creating that magic for today's kids. She has written more than 120 books for kids and teens, including "Water Can Be......