Patrick Carman is the New York Times bestselling author of such acclaimed series as The Land of Elyon and Atherton. Most recently, he authored The Black Circle, the fifth title in the 39 Clues series, and the groundbreaking Skeleton Creek series. An enthusiastic reading advocate, he has visited more than 750 schools, developed village library projects in Central America, and created author outreach programs for communities. He lives in Walla Walla, Washington with his family.