Quick facts
Stories about finding your place in the world
Arden Wren-Shade believes the best stories include friendship, finding your place in the world, and knowing that being yourself is always the best way to be.
She lives in North Carolina with her cat Zen, and is a dedicated animal lover. She loves to read and draw, and finds inspiration everywhere — from backyard birds to ancient dragons, from ghost ships on Lake Superior to a kid in a chicken costume stealing the show.
Every story Arden writes is built around characters who feel like real kids — kids who are figuring things out, making mistakes, discovering unexpected courage, and learning that the world is stranger and more wonderful than anyone told them.
Whether it's Edward discovering his bond with dragons in the magical kingdom of Norland, Maggie Mooney hearing a lighthouse sing when nobody else can, or a seventh-grader accidentally becoming the comedy sensation of his school — at the heart of every adventure is a kid who has to figure out who they are and find the bravery to be exactly that person.
As an illustrator as well as an author, Arden brings her own artwork to several of her books. She finds that drawing her characters helps her understand them more deeply — and she hopes readers feel that connection on every page.
She never knows where her imagination will take her next, but she always has fun. So she hopes you'll join her on the adventure.
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