Words Get in the Way

Nan Parson Rossiter was born in Mount Vernon, New York, on March 31, 1964. At a very young age she loved to draw and dreamed of becoming an artist. After graduating from Northwestern Regional 7 High School in Connecticut, Nan attended the Rhode Island School of Design, majoring in illustration. At RISD, Nan's portfolio of work was greatly influenced by then-teacher Chris Van Allsburg. Graduating in 1986, Nan set out to become a freelance illustrator.

After working in the freelance field for several years, Nan Rossiter became interested in writing a story for children. In 1991 she began working on a picture book called Rugby & Rosie, inspired by an acquaintance who was raising a puppy for Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Nan Rossiter is the author-illustrator of Rugby & Rosie, an "American Bookseller" Pick of the Lists and winner of the 1999 Golden Sower Award, and The Way Home, one of "Smithsonian" magazine's Notable Books for Children, 1999. She has also just completed her third picture book, Sugar on Snow, which will be published in fall 2002.

Nan lives in rural Connecticut with her husband, two sons, and a very special black Lab named Chloe. Chloe is an official breeding dog for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. The Rossiters are Chloe's foster family, and they hope that she will be the mother of many wonderful guide dogs.

When she's not working, Nan loves spending time with her family. She enjoys hiking and nature and watching her very busy birdfeeder, where the chickadees will eat right from her hand!