About the Author

Maya Gottfried is a lifelong New Yorker, with the exception of approximately four years spent at Bard College in upstate New York, and a semester at Goldsmiths (University of London). Maya also collaborated with artist Robert Rahway Zakanitch on the children's book Good Dog (Knopf), for which they recently received the Pennsylvania School Librarians Young Reader's Choice Award. In addition to creating books for children, she has written for various print and online publications, and penned the essay "Untitled" for the grown-up anthology Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes.

Maya was inspired to write Our Farm (Knopf) after learning about Farm Sanctuary online, and swiftly becoming engaged with the organization as a volunteer in New York City. Not too long after being introduced to the shelters from afar, she managed a trip to the Watkins Glen, NY location where she met and began to get to know a number of the people and non-human residents of Farm Sanctuary. It was during that trip that the first conversations about the book took place, and Maya began to get to know the Farm Sanctuary residents as the individuals that they are.

Maya lives in Brooklyn with her two cats, Lucian and Bunny. Unfortunately there is no space (or grass) for cows in her apartment, but one can always dream.

Maya's Red Room Page

contact: maya@ourfarmbook.com

Photo: Shannon Taggart