About Anne

The short version:

Anne Rellihan is a writer and educator. She writes contemporary middle grade novels about friendship, family, and growing up set in the Midwest from her home in Leawood, Kansas. She is the author of Not the Worst Friend in the World (Holiday House, spring 2024). When she’s not writing, Anne can be found wrangling her four children, volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), or traveling to her favorite place, the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

photo by Andrea Nigh Photography

The longer version:

I’ve wanted to be a children’s book author ever since I learned to read. When I was in elementary school, one of my favorite things to do was write books for my friends and family. And the things I wrote about then are still the things I like to write about now: friendship, family, and growing up.

An excerpt from my third grade autobiography

I went to college to become a journalist—I thought I would be a newspaper reporter. But I still wanted to work with kids, and it turned out that I liked writing made up stories better than I liked reporting the news. So, I became a teacher, and I kept reading and writing. I taught third, fourth, and fifth grades for ten years in schools in Gary, Indiana, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Kansas City, Missouri. My absolute favorite thing about teaching was reading and discussing fiction novels with my students. The books we read together and the discussions we had inspired me to get serious about writing and publishing my own books.

Now my debut middle grade novel, Not the Worst Friend in the World, is being published by Holiday House in spring 2024. Ten-year-old me would be so proud, but probably not that surprised.

I’ve spent time living in Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, and New York City, but now I live near to where I grew up—outside Kansas City in Leawood, Kansas. I have four spirited and funny children, a kind and supportive husband, and a snuggly and sometimes skittish pup named Ralph.

I love traveling, especially to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, trying new things, especially new places and foods, and having adventures. And just as much (maybe more!) I love being at home with my family, a cup of coffee, and a good book.

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