John Stith was born in Mount Pleasant, MI, and raised in the mountains of southwest Virginia. As a child, he loved being outside, climbing trees, and telling stories to whoever would listen.

As a grownup, he practiced international law in Washington, D.C., before relocating to prioritize his passion for storytelling.

He now lives in Charlottesville, VA, where he is a freelance editor and member of SCBWI. Though he no longer climbs trees, he still loves being outside and telling stories. The Climbing Tree is his first picture book.