Amanda McIlwain Hauser makes magical childhood experiences her mission. As a mother of eight children, an elementary teacher, and an author, Amanda spends most of her time creating ways to engage children. Keeping magic a part of childhood has always been her passion. Growing up on a farm in rural Indiana, she spent all her free time crafting, experimenting, creating, imagining, writing, and exploring, and those expressive threads have followed her through all seasons of life. Earning writing awards throughout her childhood, Amanda continued her education at St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana, where she graduated valedictorian of her class with a degree in elementary education. She went on to earn her Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Indiana Wesleyan University. After teaching nearly fifteen years in the public classroom, Amanda homeschooled her children with a self-created year-long curriculum that immersed the family in various learning experiences across the United States. But, learning didn't end during holiday breaks for the Hausers! Impish has visited the family for nearly fifteen years, bringing challenges, clues, and riddles to encourage imagination, collaboration, and excitement on Christmas morning. But, most of all, Impish's antics heighten the anticipation and magic children feel during this important time of year. In her first book, Impish the Christmas Elf, Amanda began sharing the tradition of the creative gift-wrapping elf with the world. In Impish the Elf: World Traveler, the second book of the Impish series, the world itself is Impish's clue-of-the-year. Join Amanda and the Hauser family in this unforgettable Christmas gift-giving tradition!
