Deborah Blumenthal believes that “the best writing comes from the heart as much as the mind.” Evidence of this can be seen in any of the adult, young adult, and children's books she has produced. Writing children's books always provides its own special obstacles. Blumenthal revels in challenging herself by economizing the usage of speech and space limitations children's books require. She also stresses that “picture books have their own special language.”
When Blumenthal was a young girl, she enjoyed visiting her grandparents' house and discussing family history over dinner. Now, a full-time writer, she likes to encourage children to use words and pictures to remember family history and express their feelings.
Blumenthal says she never thought of writing as a career until she married a reporter. Now she is an award-winning journalist herself, as well as a nutritionist. Although most of her work is written for adults, her continuous enjoyment in studying literature inspired her to write children's books.
Her children's book Aunt Claire's Yellow Beehive Hair, now available from Pelican Publishing, was chosen as a Book Sense 76 winner. Another one of her titles, Don't Let the Peas Touch, was also chosen as a Book Sense 76 winner and was a Book of the Month Club alternate.
Blumenthal has been a regular contributor to The New York Times and is a home design columnist for Long Island Newsday. Presently, her focus is dedicated to her books, but she occasionally still writes for newspapers. Blumenthal received her B.A. from Hunter College and her M.A. in nutrition from New York University. She lives in New York, New York.