Salvatore "Sal" Murdocca was born on April 26, 1943. He attended the High School of Art and Design in New York City majoring in illustration. After graduating in 1960, he spent another year studying at the Art Students League while apprenticing in a commercial art studio. Before becoming a children's book illustrator, he had a successful nine-year career as an advertising and magazine illustrator. Since 1970, he has written ten books and illustrated hundreds of others. He is best known as the illustrator of the Magic Tree House series written by Mary Pope Osborne.
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