newbery honor author 

new york times bestseller

Gennifer Choldenko
Gennifer Choldenko

About Gennifer

I am the youngest child in a large, loud family. We are so loud, in fact, that strangers sometimes asked us if our parents were deaf. Our parents aren’t deaf. They are as you can see one mushroom and one bunny rabbit.

Gennifer Choldenko parents in costume

My mother the mushroom, my father the bunny rabbit … did I really have a chance as the offspring of these two?

Gennifer Choldenko cousins

What are they doing to me? And take a look at my cousin, Jody, in the white pants and the weird glasses. She was the one who named me “Snot-Nose,” too. (Don’t worry. I’m getting back at her by publishing this photo on the Internet.)

My nickname as a kid was “Snot-Nose.” I spent most of my time on the back of a horse, exploring the craggy hills of Southern California.

Gennifer Choldenko baby in bassinette

Yep, that’s me in the bassinet. My siblings look thrilled to have me, don’t they? Kind of resembles a wake.

Gennifer Choldenko baby with attitude

The attitude … that started at birth.

Gennifer Choldenko smiling girl

Was cutest when missing vital parts of my anatomy. Shouldn’t someone have told me to keep my mouth closed?

Gennifer Choldenko Brownie

Not exactly a happy camper. Probably guilt. Yes, I think this was right after I ate all the cookies.

When I was six, our family went to visit some friends of my parents. During dinner at the kid’s table, I was faced with the challenge of holding my own in a large group of older kids, some of whom I had never met before. That night, a peculiar slap happiness hit me and I began to make up jokes and stories, which made no sense whatsoever, yet were strangely funny. Since that time, my family has referred to these quirky nonsensical stories as Gennifer Jokes. Sometimes when I’m writing, I hear that weird humor again.