Ruth Chew

Ruth Chew (April 8, 1920 – May 13, 2010) was an American children's author and illustrator of over 30 children's books, most of which were juvenile fantasy. The books were early-reader chapter books and usually centered on magic. Most were published in the 1970s and 1980s by Scholastic Corporation and have been out of print for some time. However, her works are gradually being republished by Random House as of 2013.

Chew was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on April 8, 1920, and attended the Corcoran School of Art. She later moved to Manhattan to pursue a career as a fashion artist and moved to Brooklyn in 1948. In 1953, she moved into the Brooklyn row house where many of her books are set. She died May 13, 2010, in Castro Valley, California.