Dr. D.W. Knight is a newcomer to the children’s publishing world, but he is not new to teaching kids. He holds a master’s degree in education from University of Colorado at Boulder, taught middle school science, social studies, reading, and Spanish for eight years and coached basketball early in his career. He continued his education to earn a PhD in natural resources and was most recently a well-loved professor at Colorado State University where he was a published researcher and an accomplished public speaker. Dr. Knight is also a member of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor’s Society in recognition of his outstanding academic achievements and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Outside the halls of academia and the classroom, Knight began writing poetry and short stories for young readers. His sense of humor and wit weave together stories and poems that usually deliver a good-hearted message or a valuable life lesson, and they can almost always be counted on for a good laugh. Knight’s writing style with its oddities, sometimes made-up words, and clever imagination are reminiscent of his childhood favorite, Shel Silverstein, and the lyrical genius of Walt Disney’s famed songwriting duo, the Sherman Brothers.

If laughter, comedy, and positive messaging are traits that define Dr. Knight's work, they are also traits that define the man himself. Colleagues dubbed him “Mr. Positivity” for good reason! He exudes a joy and love in all that he does, he’s a genuine people-person with a thirst for exploration, adventure, and lifelong learning. Knight credits his grandmother, who was a Minnesota school district reading director, for instilling in him a love of words and languages.  He speaks English, Spanish, and Chinese with aspirations to learn several other languages. He has traveled the world and lived overseas in Spain, the Philippines, Peru, China, and Mexico. He has also lived across the United States. He was born in Massachusetts, moved to New York, then to Hawaii, California, Indiana, and Colorado before returning to Southern California. He loves the hustle and bustle of city living but also recharges his proverbial batteries in the great outdoors, hiking and exploring national parks and coastal hideaways.