Linda Sue Park is a Korean-American author born on March 25, 1960, in Urbana, Illinois. She published her first novel, Seesaw Girl, in 1999, beginning a career focused on children's literature. Park's work gained significant recognition when her novel A Single Shard received the prestigious Newbery Medal in 2002. This award established her as a notable voice in children's literature. Over her career, she has written six children's novels and five picture books, demonstrating versatility across different formats and age groups. In addition to her original works, Park has contributed to collaborative series, including writing Storm Warning, the ninth book in The 39 Clues series, which was published in May 2010.