Pat Alexander is a children's book author and illustrator who has a specialization in historical fiction. She has written and illustrated more than 30 young adult and children's books. Alexander has been an award winning author for over twenty years, winning the Christopher Award, the Parents Choice Award, the Golden Kite Award, and the Elsie Award. In addition to her books, Alexander has been a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for over twenty years as well as a teacher for grades K-12. She has also done writing workshops with writers from around the world. Alexander's success is due to her ability to capture a moment in time by creating a historical narrative that is engaging and educational. Alexander's first book was published in 1985 titled "The Heart of a King". It was about King Henry VIII of England from his marriage to Catherine of Aragon to his death. The book was nominated for a Christopher Award, which is given to the best children's literature of the year by the Catholic Library Association. In addition to historical fiction, Alexander likes to write stories about people who are involved in more spiritual practices such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and others. Some of her most popular books include "The Light on Snow Mountain", "I am Lenny", and "Anatolia: A Land Apart From Time". Pat Alexander and her husband Michael Alexander have two children together; Christopher and Sarah. The Alexanders also have two adopted children; Ruthie and Sami.