* She was born on October 31, 1932, in Qingdao, China, to American missionary parents.
* Paterson spent her early years in China and Japan before moving to the United States in 1940.
* She graduated from King College in Bristol, Tennessee, in 1954 with a degree in English.
* After college, Paterson worked as a missionary in Japan for three years.
* She later returned to the United States and worked as a teacher and a librarian.
* Paterson began writing children's books in the 1970s.
* Her first novel, "The Sign of the Chrysanthemum," was published in 1973.
* Paterson has written more than 30 books for children and young adults.
* Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages.
* Paterson has won numerous awards for her writing, including the Newbery Medal, the National Book Award, and the Hans Christian Andersen Award.
* She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
* Paterson lives in Barre, Vermont, with her husband, John. They have four children and six grandchildren.