Cynthia Cliff
Cynthia Cliff is an author and self-taught artist who grew up in a tiny village in rural Virginia surrounded by farms and woodlands. This upbringing provided her with a love of history, nature, and folklore—themes that find their way into her whimsical, folk-art inspired story-telling. Cynthia began making books for children in 2020 and now has a number of published book including A Day at the Museum, A Weekend Trip, The Wild Garden, and Pie for Breakfast. Her upcoming book Mary E. and the Apple Tree, published by Greenwillow Books/Harper Collins, out in 2026, is about one girl’s experiences growing up on her family’s orchards and is inspired by her own families’ Shenandoah Valley heritage. Cynthia is represented by the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She lives in Northern Virginia with her family including a few four-legged members.
Mary E. and the Apple Tree
Mary E. and the Apple Tree—a richly thematic picture book about one girl’s experiences on her family’s farm and how our traditions can connect people and places through generations. On their way to Grammie’s house, apple dumplings in tow, a mother tells the story of Mary E., who grows up alongside an apple tree her parents plant. The apples from the family orchard are used in good times and bad, for medicine and for special recipes. But Mary E.’s favorite is apple dumplings, which the family makes for birthdays. And so the tradition continues, past to present, for generations.