A seventh-generation Canadian, Betty Waterton was born in Oshawa in 1923. She grew up in Winnipeg and came to B.C. in the 1930s because her father worked for the Star Weekly. Now living in Sidney, she became a prolific children's author after raising her family. Her highly regarded first book A Salmon for Simon was illustrated by Ann Blades, followed by titles including Pettranella, Mustard and her Quincy Rumpel series.