Elizabeth Cody Kimmel was born in New York City, and grew up in Westchester County, and later Brussels, Belgium. From a very early age she was a zealous reader, buyer, and admirer of books. She attended the Emma Willard School in Troy, New York and Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Love gothic buildings and intellectual stimulation? Go to Emma Willard! Go to Kenyon!

Because she is very sneaky, Elizabeth manages to work in many of her favorite subjects into the books she writes. Her love of Antarctica, ghost stories, medieval history, penguins, and writers can all be found representing themselves in various ways in Kimmel's published books.