Joyce McDonald is an accomplished American author known for her contributions to children's and young adult literature. She was born in San Francisco, CA, and raised in Chatham, NJ. McDonald received her BA and MA from the University of Iowa, and completed her Ph.D. at Drew University.

She has authored several acclaimed books, including the award-winning Swallowing Stones and the Edgar Award Nominated Shades of Simon Gray. In addition to her writing, Joyce McDonald has taught at East Stroudsburg University in PA, Drew University in NJ, and is currently on the faculty of Spaulding University's Brief-residency MFA in Writing Program in Louisville, KY.

For over ten years, she has been an active member of the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature. She currently resides in Forks Township, PA with her husband.