Cheryl McKenzie

Cheryl A. McKenzie is an author who believes stories have the power to bring people together, make us smile, help us grow, and remind us that none of us travels through life alone.

Her books span generations and genres. She is the author of The Together Collection, a series created around connection, encouragement, and the moments we share with one another. She is also the author of the memoirs Moments Along the Way and Deeper Moments Along the Way — The Stories Behind the Stories, where she shares the experiences, memories, laughter, challenges, and lessons that have shaped her own journey.

For her youngest readers, Cheryl created the warm and wonderful world of Yonder Creek, home of Ohno the Opossum and his unforgettable friends—Pal, Ready, Figure, Moxie, and a growing cast of Yonder Creek characters.

Through everyday adventures, unexpected problems, big feelings, silly mishaps, and plenty of “Oh no!” moments, the Yonder Creek stories help young children discover lessons about friendship, courage, kindness, patience, problem-solving, trying again, and believing in themselves. Cheryl especially loves creating stories that children can enjoy while giving parents, grandparents, caregivers, and teachers opportunities to talk about the lessons hidden inside each adventure.

Cheryl also writes for young-adult readers with The Twelve Trilogy, a mystery-adventure series following twelve sixteen-year-olds—each born under a different zodiac sign on twelve consecutive dates—who discover that their connection may not be coincidence at all. Beginning with The Twelve and continuing through The Pattern and The Journal, the trilogy explores friendship, mystery, discovery, and what can happen when twelve very different people learn that some answers can only be found together.

Whether she is writing for a preschooler opening an Ohno adventure, an adult reflecting on one of life’s deeper moments, or anyone in between, Cheryl writes with one simple hope:

That somewhere within the pages, a reader will find a story that makes them laugh, makes them think, touches their heart—or reminds them that we really are better together.