Ann Reynold (maiden name Anilu Bernardo) writes from the heart in Jumping Off to Freedom, because she was born in Cuba and as a child fled the island nation to the United States in 1961, her own jumping off to freedom. She grew up in Miami, Florida and attended Coral Gables High school. She earned a B.A. in Spanish in 1971 from Florida State University, and then she eventually received an M.A. in communications in 1980. She, her husband Jim, and daughters Stephanie and Amanda presently live in Plantation, Florida.

Like many authors for young people, Bernardo began writing as a youngster, originally composing stories and poems in her native Spanish.

Her first published book Fitting In is a collection of short stories and was published as part of the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Project at the University of Houston. Fitting In tied with...