Melissa Glenn Haber was born in Berkeley, California, she first began writing at age four in 1973. A graduate of the Commonwealth School and Harvard-Radcliffe College, Haber considered attaining post-graduate degrees, as well as careers in teaching and public policy analysis, before settling into writing as a profession. The first of her works was published by Dutton Children's Books, after being rejected by sixteen other publishers. Haber currently lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with her husband and three children. Melissa Haber currently teaches history classes at the Commonwealth School.