Welcome to the website of Jennifer Ward!

Jennifer writes full-time from her home in Southern Illinois which she shares with her husband, a busy cattle dog, a cuddly chihuahua, and lots of wildlife outside of her windows.

Her house is in a city, but her yard is nestled among wild things: old growth oaks, a creek, a pond, native plant species, & an abundance of wildlife. She is easily distracted by birds and the wild friends who also call this place home.

 

When not writing, she's busy maintaining her property to support biodiversity, photographing birds, and working in her small-batch ceramics studio (Nuthatch Garden Studio), where she lovingly creates bird-themed mosaics, tiles and flower vases.
 
Jennifer's books include the award-winning Mama Built a Little Nest, illustrated by Caldecott medalist Steve Jenkins, There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea, illustrated by Steve Gray; The Busy Tree, illustrated by Lisa Falkenstern; How to Find a Bird, illustrated by Diana Sudyka; Sleepy, Surprising Ways Animals Snooze, illustrated by Caldecott medalist Robin Page - and many other titles that connect readers to the wonders of the natural world.