About Our Authors

Cindy McKinley Alder is a parent, a teacher, and a writer. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in the Teaching of Reading from Eastern Michigan University.  She has taught both elementary school and college.  Her children attended the very same elementary, middle school, and high school as she did!  She is now a private tutor.

In 2002, her first book, a children’s book called One Smile, was published.  It won the Benjamin Franklin award that year.  In 2013, her second children’s book, One Voice, came out. It immediately won the Preferred Choice Award and the Carol Reiser Award.  Both books show how simple random acts of kindness can change the world.

That same year, 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents: Fun Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Elementary School came out, a book she co-wrote with teacher and long-time friend Patti Trombly.  This book is full of fun and easy ways parents can work with their young kids on all academic subjects and more!

Most recently, Cindy has once again joined with Patti Trombly- this time to produce a book for our pandemic series: 10 Quick Homework Tips. The book, for certain, will outlive the pandemic, for these tips work whenever parents are looking to end homework battles with their children.

Cindy lives in Milford, Michigan with her husband and their cat Watson.  She loves long walks, reading good books, and toasting marshmallows over a campfire.