Erica S. Perl

Erica S. Perl (she/her) is the author of more than 50 books for young people. She’s also co-written books with Dolly Parton and R.J. Palacio. Erica’s books have received awards including the National Jewish Book Award, three Sydney Taylor medals (one silver, two bronze), and the Chickadee Award, Maine’s state picture book award. Erica writes picture books, early readers, chapter books, and middle grade novels. Erica has received fellowships from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Yiddish Book Center, and P.J. Library. Erica also teaches writing in the Exec. Ed. program of the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business.

Before shifting to full-time writing and teaching, Erica worked as a criminal defense attorney in NYC and as a Vice President for First Book, a national nonprofit literary organization. Erica lives with her family in Washington, DC. She is an excellent baker, an avid skier, and an appreciator of (almost) all animals.

• Picture books
• Jewish books
• Humor

• Illustrated books
• Realistic fiction
• Humor

• Tulane University Law School, JD, 1995
• Hampshire College, BA, 1990

• Faculty Member, Vermont College of Fine Arts, MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults (2023-2026)
• Faculty Member, Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business, Executive Education Program (2023-present)

• The Chickadee Award (Maine's state picture book award), 2025
• The National Jewish Book Award for Young People's Literature, 2018
• Sydney Taylor Book Award, Silver Medal, 2019
• Sydney Taylor Book Award, Bronze Medal, 2021
• Sydney Taylor Book Award, Bronze Medal, 2012

• Arnold and Louise: Boo Times Two (Penguin, 2026), 
• Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas (co-author with Dolly Parton), (Penguin, 2024)
• How Carrot and Cookie Saved Christmas (Penguin, 2024)
• White Bird: A Novel (co-author with R.J. Palacio) (Knopf, 2023)
• The Three Little Guinea Pigs (FSG, 2023)