Janna Matthies

Janna Matthies is a picture book author and early-elementary music teacher in Indianapolis. Her books include the forthcoming MY TOWERING TREE (Beach Lane Books/S&S, Aug. '24), OVER IN THE GARDEN (Doubleday/RHCB, March '25), and BABY, LET'S GO TO THE ORCHESTRA (Creative Editions, 2025). Other titles are HERE WE COME! (Beach Lane Books, 2022), which earned a star from The Horn Book and a JLG Gold Standard Selection; GOD’S ALWAYS LOVING YOU (WorthyKids/Hachette, 2021); TWO IS ENOUGH (Running Press Kids, 2015), which made the 2016 Bank Street list and NYT Book Review; THE GOODBYE CANCER GARDEN (Whitman, 2011), which earned an SLJ starred review and Best Foreign Language Children’s Book at the Sharjah International Book Fair; PETER, THE KNIGHT WITH ASTHMA (Whitman, 2009); and MONSTER TRUCKS (Piggy Toes Press, 2009). When she’s not writing or making music, Janna can be found digging in the garden, swimming laps, or keeping up with her husband and three nearly-grown kids.