This biography introduces readers to Cynthia Rylant, the Newbery Medal winning American author of When I was Young in the Mountains, Missing May, A Fine White Dust, The Relatives Came, and the Henry and Mudge and series. Readers will learn about Rylant's childhood in West Virginia's Appalachian Mountains, her early separation from her parents, and their affect on her life and work. Rylant's autobiographies But I'll Be Back Again and Best Wishes are also introduced. Easy-to-read text and full-color photos highlight Rylant's childhood, education, and early influences. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company.