Children's Author and Illustrator Rosalyn Schanzer, who writes books about history's greatest adventures, can't seem to sit still. That's why she has had a few adventures of her own.

This nationally ranked Master's swimmer and avid photographer has taken pictures of wild lions and elephants in Africa from two feet away, swum with sharks in Belize, and kayaked with whales in Alaska, Canada and Mexico. She has hiked the Andes, fished for pirhanas, and explored ancient Incan ruins in Peru and Bolivia. And she has rafted through whitewater in the lush rainforests of Costa Rica, tasted tamarinds in the remote dry forests of Ecuador, photographed golden temples in Thailand and marine iguanas in the Galapagos, and helped sail a world-famous racing boat from Bermuda to Boston.

For years, Schanzer painted pictures for literally hundreds of things, from greeting cards and pop-up books for Hallmark Cards to magazine and newspaper articles, posters, games for children, and numerous books for many major publishers. But all of these were written by other people. Finally, she decide to try a new kind of adventure; if she wanted to paint the kinds of things she liked the best, she would have to start writing a few books herself. So back in 1993 she began to write and illustrate the first of many highly aclaimed books about famous adventurers from history. The writing has turned out to be more fun - and more challenging - than she had ever imagined. To find out more about her books, CLICK HERE

Besides adventures, what does Rosalyn Schanzer like best? Eating chocolate. Watching pictures fall out of her fingers. Being a detective who finds true stories from history that hardly anybody has ever heard. And living with her amazing husband Steve in Fairfax Station, Virginia.

Click here to find out how Rosalyn Schanzer pronounces her name

 

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