Born in Brooklyn, New York, Robert Kimmel Smith was 8 years old when he read his first book–a book that moved him enough to make him cry. It turned out to be a life-defining event, because after that experience he decided not only that he loved reading, but also, luckily for us and for his millions of fans, that he wanted to become a writer. Little did he know that he would grow up to become an award-winning author whose books have sold millions of copies and are making a difference to millions of children.