Happy birthday! Let's celebrate! All around the world people are turning another year older. What are some ways birthdays are celebrated in Asia? Or in South America? Discover the ways people celebrate birthdays in this engaging series that develops kids' understanding of our diverse global community and their place in it. Mary Meinking grew up in Iowa and went on to graduate from the University of Kansas, where she met her husband-to-be, Scott. They married and had two children, Brittany and Benjamin. She works as a graphic designer during the day but writes for children at night. Her non-fiction articles were published in a dozen different children s magazines. Mary s written over two dozen nonfiction books about arts and crafts, extreme jobs, animals, pop stars and history. When not working, writing or hanging out with her family, Mary enjoys doing arts and crafts, baking, gardening and traveling.