Suzanne Collins

A few great things happened in America on August 10, 1962. As part of President Herbert Hoover’s 88th birthday, The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library was opened. CIA Director John McCone gave warning to President Kennedy that the Soviets were increasing shipments to Cuba, marking the beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Also on that date, Suzanne Collins was born. Her father was officer of the U.S. Air Force, causing the family to move frequently. However, she spent most of her childhood in the eastern part of the US and her family managed to remain in Alabama long enough for her to attend Carver High School and be a Theater Arts major at the state’s School of Fine Arts. Continuing in that major at Indiana University, from which she graduated, Collins also earned a degree in Telecommunications. Her career as a writer started in 1991, when she began working for children’s television shows. Collins has contributed to the scripts of many well-known shows by Nickelodeon, including Oswald, Clarissa Explains It All, and Little Bear. She also worked for Scholastic Entertainment where she was head writer for the cartoon Clifford’s Puppy Days.