Jill Osborne loves Jesus and kids. She’s written thirteen books for middle graders, including The Good News Shoes series and The Belt of Truth series. Jill’s 30+ year career working with kids includes serving as a children’s and preteen ministry director, where some of her favorite activities involved camping in the wild outdoors, wearing camo, and tromping through creeks chasing kids with Frisbees. Her writing encourages a new generation to “set its hope anew” on God.
An author, speaker, and twelve-year-old at heart, Jill has also written skits for church drama teams, Kid Min curriculum, Bible studies, devotionals, and magazine articles. She enjoys working on her own projects, but embraces the adventure of a great collaboration. “God’s kids need stories of hope, light, and life, so let’s work together to get as many in their hands as possible.” Some of her collaborative works include The Coin Slot Chronicles series with Rashad Jennings, and the Princess in Camo series with Missy and Mia Robertson. A highlight of her writing career was traveling to the other side of the world to share her stories with kids in India and Kenya.
Jill lives with her husband in California’s Central Valley—just a short drive from her favorite place in the world—Yosemite National Park. A hike to the top of Half-Dome in 2003 inspired her first book, Riley Mae and the Rock Shocker Trek. Most days she can be found reading, writing, hiking, and hanging out and laughing with her husband, their two grown children and spouses, and their three unique and hilarious granddaughters.