Judith Viorst was born and raised in New Jersey and has lived in Washington, D.C., since her marriage to political writer Milton Viorst in 1960. They have three adult sons whose names are the same as those of the brothers in her play Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. A graduate of Rutgers University and the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, Viorst is the author of numerous books of poetry and prose for both children and adults. Among her 14 children's books are two other Alexander stories and two collections of poems—If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries and Sad Underwear and Other Complications. Her 12 adult books include Necessary Losses, Imperfect Control, a comic novel, and six collections of poetry. Along with Alexander, Viorst has also collaborated with Shelly Markham on an adult musical, Love and Shrimp, which has been performed around the country, including the Pasadena Playhouse, the Canon Theater in Beverly Hills, and The Ballroom in New York City.
