Eliza Wheeler grew up in northern Wisconsin in a family of teachers, musicians, and artists. Some of the strongest influences on her creativity have been the wild Wisconsin seasons, canoeing the Brule River, picking blueberries with her grandmother, and digging through the snow with her brothers. She was a recipient of the prestigious Sendak Fellowship, as well as the SCBWI International Conference Portfolio Grand Prize for her artwork. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.