Judy Moody Was in a Mood. Not a Good Mood. A Bad Mood.

Megan McDonald is an American author from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. McDonald’s love of writing began when she was a child, as she felt more comfortable writing than speaking due to her stutter. McDonald graduated from Oberlin College with a BA in English and then completed a master’s degree in library science at the University of Pittsburgh. While working as a librarian, McDonald published several children’s books before writing the first of her Judy Moody series in 2000.

Young readers instantly connected with Judy and her little brother, Stink, and the series soon became a great success, selling over seven million copies in 18 different languages. McDonald has won numerous awards for her work, including Publisher Weekly’s Best Book of the Year award and the International Reading Association Children’s Choice award for her Judy Moody series. McDonald has revealed that her childhood experiences growing up as the youngest of five girls inspired some of Judy’s adventures in the stories (“Megan McDonald.” Pennsylvania Center for the Book). 

In Judy Was in a Mood., McDonald drew many specific plot points from her childhood, including the fake hand prank—which she played on her sisters—and her siblings going to the White House when she stayed home.