Maria was born and raised in the Netherlands and studied graphic design at George Washington University in DC. After a career in branding and innovation, Maria became illustrator full-time and created 15 picture books for kids. Her historical graphic novel for young adults, Song of a Blackbird, was partly inspired by events that affected her own family during WWII.
It was awarded a Michael L. Printz Honor and it was longlisted for the National Book Award. Maria lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their son.