Marisa Castronova loves to create. Whether planning fun science lessons, developing new characters, or inventing silly phrases with her children, she loves finding ways to connect with others. With over a decade of teaching experience and a doctorate in education, Marisa is no stranger to the first day of school. In fact, she still reports feeling butterflies in her stomach each and every time a new school year begins. Marisa lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children. When she's not writing or teaching, she can be found soaking up the sun with her family at the beach.