Mary Atkinson earned a BA from Antioch College, an MEd from Lesley University, and an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Atkinson has written many books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for children, including Maria Teresa (1979) and Owl Girl (2015). Her work has been anthologized in Got Geography! (2006) and Sharing the Seasons: A Book of Poems (2010). Atkinson conducts poetry workshops in New England and lives in Portland, Maine. She is a former teacher.