Harriet Ziefert grew up in North Bergen, New Jersey, where she attended the local schools. She graduated from Smith College, then received a Masters degree in Education from New York University. For many years, Ziefert was an elementary school teacher. She taught most grades from kindergarten to fifth grade. "I liked it," she said, but she stopped teaching when she had her own sons. When her children were older, Ziefert wanted "a bigger arena" for her work. She went to work at a publishing company, Scholastic in New York City, developing materials for teacher's guides for kindergarten language arts and social studies programs. "About twelve years ago," says Ziefert in a 1995 interview, "I tried to get a job as an editor, but no one would hire me as a trade editor. So I decided to write my own books." Since then, she has written several hundred books, mostly picture books and easy-to-read books. "I write books very quickly," she says, "in about twelve hours. I rewrite them three times over three days, and then they're done." She writes about twenty books a year.
Series
Books
Where is My Baby?
1994
Math Riddles
1997
Grandma's Wedding Album
2011
Lights on Broadway
A Theatrical Tour from A to Z, with CD
2009
Let's Get Dressed!
1988
Where Does Kitty Go in the Rain?
2015
Wiggle Like an Octopus!
2011
Nicky's Noisy Night
1986
April Fool!
2000
Cat Goes Fiddle-i-Fee
2005
Me! Me! ABC
2006
What Do Ducks Dream
2001
Flip-a-Word
Snake Cake
2006
101 Ways to Be a Good Granny
2014
In a Scary Old House
1989
Buzzy's Big Beach Book
2006
Elemenopeo
1998
Buzzy's Boo-Boo
2004
Mommies are for Counting Stars
1999
Bear All Year
A Guessing Game Story
2000
Families Have Together
2005
You Can't See Your Bones with Binoculars
A Guide to Your 206 Bones
2003
Snow Party
2008
What Is Valentine's Day?
1993
Does a Panda Go To School?
2014
Presents For Santa
2000
Bugs, Beetles, and Butterflies
1998
This is Thanksgiving
2004
Good Night, Jessie!
1987
The Princess and the Peas and Carrots
2012
Say Goodnight!
1987
Egad Alligator!
2002
Buzzy's Big Bedtime Book
1990
My Dog Thinks I'm A Genius
2011
It's Time to Go to Sleep
2016
Two Little Witches
1996
Max and Sarah Build a Snowman
2014
Night, Knight
1997
Harry Takes a Bath
1987
When the TV Broke
1989
My Forever Dress
2009
That's What Grandmas Are For
2006
Lucy Rescued
2012
Ode to Humpty Dumpty
2001
Messy Bessie
Where's My Homework?
2007
Flip-a-Word
Pig Wig
2006
Does a Camel Cook Spaghetti
2014
One Red Apple
2009
I Say Yes! I Say No!
2014
The Banana Bunch and the Magic Show
2014
Clara Ann Cookie
1999
Friends Stick Together
2001
Hey, Baby, It's Time to Come Out!
2015
Pushkin Meets the Bundle
1998
By the Light of the Harvest Moon
2009
How Big is Big?
1989
I Swapped My Dog
1998
Are You My Brown Bear?
2014
A New Coat for Anna
1986
I Really Want to Be First!
A Really Bird Story
2022
A Dozen Dozens
1998
Sleepy Dog
1984
Circus Parade
2005
Who Said Moo?
1996
Sleepy Dog, Wake Up!
2015
41 Uses for a Grandma
2005
When Daddy Had the Chicken Pox
1991
Flip-a-Word
Stop Pop
2007
First He Made the Sun
2000
ABC Dentist
2008
Rockheads
2004
Sleepy-o!
1997
Backstage Cat
2013
Snow Magic
1988
I Need a Valentine
1999
10 Little Fish
2014
Flip-a-Word
Wet Pet
2008
A Dozen Ducklings Lost and Found
A Counting Story
2002
You And Me
We're Opposites
2009
What Is Hanukkah?
1994
First Night
1999
Be Thankful for Trees
2022
A Bunny is Funny
2008
Puppy is Lost
2011
Noisy Barn!
1990
Lunchtime for a Purple Snake
2003
One Smart Skunk
2004
Flip-a-Word
Frog Jog
2014
What Is Part This, Part That?
2013
Sara's Potty
1999
The Magic Porridge Pot
1997
Toes Have Wiggles, Kids Have Giggles
2002
Bigger Than Daddy
2006
A Class Play with Ms. Vanilla
1992
Squarehead
2001
Buzzy's Balloon
2007
Where's My Easter Egg?
1901
Mommy, I Want to Sleep in Your Bed!
1990
Clara Ann Cookie, Go to Bed!
2000
Does a Tiger Go to the Dentist?
2014
Rabbit and Hare Divide an Apple
1998
Can You Whoo, Too?
2015
The Princess and the Pea
1996
Grandmas are for Giving Tickles
2000
The Gingerbread Boy
1995
Pete's Chicken
1994
A Clean House for Mole and Mouse
1988
39 Uses for a Friend
2001
Flip-a-Word
Ice Mice
2013
Passover
Celebrating Now, Remembering Then
2010
The Banana Bunch and the Birthday Party
2014
Is This the Bus for Us?
2023
It's Raining Cats and Frogs
2014
A New House for Mole and Mouse
1987
Brothers are for Making Mud Pies
2001
Does a Woodpecker Use a Hammer?
2014
Waiting for Baby
1998
Sisters Are for Making Sand Castles
2001
Birdhouse for Rent
2001
Who Can Boo the Loudest
1990
Nicky's Christmas Surprise
1985
The Biggest Job of All
2005
Thank You, Nicky!
1988
Beach Party!
2005
Chocolate Mud Cake
1988
Bob and Shirley
A Tale of Two Lobsters
1991
Grandma, It's for You!
2006
Where Is Nicky's Valentine?
1987
Henny Penny
1997
You Can't Ride a Bicycle to the Moon!
A Book About Space Travel
2014
Little Red Riding Hood
2000
Bear Goes Shopping
A Guessing Game Story
1986
Who Spilled the Milk?
1994
Misery Is a Smell In Your Backpack
2005
Where Is the Rocket?
2013
Home for Navidad
2003
What Is Thanksgiving?
1992
Oh No, Nicky!
1992
Bunny's Lessons
2011
My Friend Grandpa
1994
Bear's Busy Morning
A Guessing Game Story
1991
40 Uses for a Grandpa
2005
Quack Like A Duck!
2011
Zoo Parade!
1990
ABC Doctor
2007
Where's the Halloween Treat?
1985
From Kalamazoo to Timbuktu!
2003
10 Little Sock Monkeys
2005
Pumpkin Pie
2000
Hanukkah Haiku
2008
You Can't Buy a Dinosaur With a Dime
2003
It's Time to Say Good Night
2013
The Three Little Pigs
1995
Mother Goose Manners
2008
Mighty Max
2008
You Can't Taste a Pickle With Your Ear
A Book About Your 5 Senses
2002
Eight Days of Hanukkah
1997
Bears Odd, Bears Even
1997
Schools Have Learn
2004
Crab Cab
Flip-a-Word
2009
33 Uses for a Dad
2004
Train Song
2000
Teachers are for Reading Stories
2002
Does a Bear Wear Boots?
2014
Flip-a-Word
Quack Shack
2008
There Was a Little Girl, She Had a Little Curl
2006
What Ship Is Not a Ship?
2014
I Need an Easter Egg
1999
Talk, Baby!
1999
Buzzy Had a Little Lamb
2005
Does a Beaver Sleep in a Bed
2014
31 Uses for a Mom
2003
Posey Plans a Party
2009
Nicky Upstairs and Down
1987
Noisy Forest!
2004
I Really Want a Bigger Piece
A Really Bird Story
2022
Buzzy & Friends
Lots and Lots
2008
Twelve Days of Christmas Presents
2004
Take Care of Me from A to Z
2011
The Halloween Parade
1992
Animal Music
1999
Murphy Meets the Treadmill
2001
Butterfly Birthday
2010
The Cow in the House
1997
I Really Want to Fly to the Moon!
2022
Does a Seal Smile?
2014
A Dozen Dogs
1985
The Turnip
1996
Posey Prefers Pink
2008
So Sick!
1985
On Halloween Night
2001
I Wish Santa Would Come by Helicopter
2004
Posey Paints a Princess
2008
Flip-a-Word
Snow Bow
2007
Someday We'll Have Very Good Manners
2001
The Little Red Hen
1995
Oh, What a Noisy Farm!
1995
So Hungry!
1987
Does an Owl Wear Eyeglasses?
2014
Robin, Where Are You?
2012
