Judith Viorst

Judith Viorst (née Stahl) is an American writer, journalist, and psychoanalytic researcher born on February 2, 1931, in Newark, New Jersey. She is best known for her children’s books, especially the Alexander series, which includes the classic picture book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (1972), as well as other notable titles such as The Tenth Good Thing About Barney. Viorst’s work also encompasses poetry and books for adults, often noted for their humor and insight into everyday life.

Viorst earned a B.A. in history from Rutgers University and later graduated from the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute after several years of study. In addition to her children’s literature, she has written widely read poetry collections about aging, including When Did I Stop Being Twenty and Other Injustices and Unexpectedly Eighty and Other Adaptations, along with works of fiction and nonfiction for adults. She has received recognition for both her journalism and her psychological writing and lives in Washington, D.C.