Maria De JongMaria de Jong grew up in Aotearoa New Zealand before settling in Italy. Initially she taught English in Turin, where she also designed and made theatre costumes. She began writing stories for middle grade readers while working as a translator in Rome but things only got serious after yet another relocation, this time to Amsterdam where she completed her debut novel, Ride North. She is now back in Italy for good, living in Sardinia and concocting more adventures for her inner twelve-year-old. Read More Read Less