Leslie Patricelli

Hi, I’m Leslie Patricelli—author and illustrator of POTTY, YUMMY YUCKY, TOOT, HIGHER! HIGHER!, a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor winner, and more books that make toddlers giggle and parents feel seen. My stories are inspired by real-life parenting moments (like my son taste-testing everything in sight) and the wild, wonderful emotions of toddlerhood.

I also write THE RIZZLERUNK CLUB series for middle-grade readers, based on my own fourth-grade adventures—frog catching, playground disasters, and growing up on Pine Lake in Washington state.

I live in Idaho with my husband, three cats, and a rescue dog who came to Hailey from the L.A. fires. I love skiing, biking, doodling, and playing clarinet with the local orchestra. When you see me out and about, I might be staring at your toddler or eavesdropping on some 9-year-olds. I’m just doing research.