Mariko Turk grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in creative writing. She received her PhD in English from the University of Florida, with a concentration in children’s literature. She lives in Colorado with her husband and daughter, where she enjoys tea, walks, and stories of all kinds. 

 

Her debut novel, The Other Side of Perfect (Little, Brown/Poppy), is a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults 2022 pick and a Bank Street Best Children's Books of the year selection. It's available in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Spain, and is forthcoming in Bulgaria. Her second novel, I'll Be Waiting for You, releases April 30, 2024.