Barbara Odanaka

I'm Barbara Odanaka—children's book author, skateboarder and founder of Skateboard Moms & Sisters of Shred, a nonprofit organization empowering women through skateboarding.

Before I wrote for children, I was a sports reporter at the Los Angeles Times. I switched careers after I realized I was (unintentionally) rhyming some of the lines in my newspaper articles.

In 1994, I backpacked around the world for a year on $30 a day. I scuba dived with sharks in Fiji, trekked through the Himalayas, and hunkered down with mountain gorillas in central Africa.

Today, I channel my energies into writing fun, lively books for children. My latest book, Construction Cat, features hardworking Mama Cat, who runs the construction site (Pa Cat stays home with the kittens!).

I'm also the author of A Crazy Day At The Critter Cafe (starring Skateboard Cow); Smash! Mash! Crash! There Goes The Trash!, and my first book, Skateboard Mom, about a mom who takes off with her son's new skateboard—and rediscovers her childhood passion in the process.

For more info, please visit http://barbaraodanaka.com

Happy reading!