Tamora Pierce is an American writer known for her fantasy fiction targeted towards teenagers. She is best recognized for her stories featuring young heroines. Pierce made a name for herself with her first book series, The Song of the Lioness (1983–1988), which follows the main character Alanna through the trials and triumphs of training as a knight.

In 2013, Pierce won the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association. This award cited her two quartets, Song of the Lioness and Protector of the Small (1999–2002), for their "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature." Her books have been translated into twenty languages.