When she grew up she attended the University of Illinois and studied graphic design. Later she moved to New York City where she was employed creating art for television shows. It was while doing artwork for a children's television show that she was encouraged by the children to do a children's book. And she decided to do one -- Willy and His Wheel Wagon-- which a publisher bought at once. Since then Gibbons has written and illustrated over 100 books. She prefers to write non-fiction because she enjoys the research so much. She also enjoys traveling and meeting interesting people.

Mrs. Gibbons lives most of the time in Corinth, Vermont on 300 acres with her husband, dog, and two cats. They have a lot of wild animals that roam and live on their property. She and her husband also spend a lot of time at their little farmhouse on an island off the coast of Maine.