Dawn Chalker writes books for both adults and children and enjoys exploring different genres. Her books focus on strong characters and engaging plots. As a Northern Michigan Naturalist, she uses nature to enhance the setting of each book. She loves to travel and has visited all fifty states as well as Canada, Latin America, and Europe.  Some of these locations are settings for the stories in Where’s the Vacation? Her recent book, Lost and Found explores the contrast of two time periods, France in 1971 and northern Michigan in 2023.

Dawn grew up in Northern Michigan. She received a B.S. from Western Michigan University and an M.A. from the University of Michigan. She has worked at various occupations including family and child therapist, adjunct professor at Eastern Michigan University, elementary school counselor, and administrative assistant in research at the University of Michigan.  She and her husband live with a playful cat on the Leelanau Peninsula.