Darlene Messner HandDarlene Messner Hand was born on her family's farm three miles northeast of Northfield, Minnesota, where she attended a one-room country school house. While growing up, her family moved from Northfield to Phoenix, Arizona, then to Riverside, Californa, and then back to Northfield where she lived the remainder of her life (except for winters spent in Florida with her husband Roger). She loves the outdoors, wildlife, children, and painting, and always wanted to write and illustrate children's books related to the outdoors and wildlife, which she started doing later in life. Hand attended St. Olaf College in Northfield for one year. She then married her husband, Roger, a farmer. They had five children. Their family now includes five grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Read More Read Less