Mitali Banerjee Ruths grew up in Houston, Texas and dreamed of becoming an astronaut someday. She has worked as a babysitter, an ice cream seller, and a medical doctor. She is the author of the picture book Archie Celebrates Diwali, and the Scholastic Branches early chapter book series, The Party Diaries. Mitali now works as a creative director at a software company and lives in Canada with her husband, three kids, and their dog, Tux.