Betsy Maestro was born in Brooklyn, New York. She has a degree in early childhood education and a master's degree in counseling. Before becoming a writer, she was a kindergarten and first grade teacher. She has been creating books with her husband Giulio since 1974. She writes and he does the illustrating. They are most popular for their nonfiction titles which include the American Story series which focuses on events in United States history. Together, they have produced over ninety titles. Many of their titles have been chosen as Notable Books by the American Library Association and as Pick of the Lists by the American Booksellers Association.