Moni Ritchie Hadley, a half-Japanese, military brat bounced back and forth from the USA to Japan as a child. Daydreaming was her favorite pastime. Her experiences abroad inspired her debut picture book, The Star Festival (Albert Whitman) which received a starred review from the School Library Journal, Anzu and the Art of Friendship, and the recently published, Miso Magic, about a young girl learning the family business of miso making. A lifetime learner, she received a BA in Psychology at UCLA and later became a home/hospital teacher for the LAUSD, where she taught students with medical needs. She holds a long-standing membership with the SCBWI and is also published in Highlights Magazine. Today, she lives in Los Angeles, where she turns her sky-gazing daydreams into stories for children.
“I hope children will find beauty and delight in the characters and settings in my books. If I can make kids wonder and seek to discover, then I’ve done my job as an author and educator.”
Moni (she/her) is represented by Sarah Stephens.
