Polly Carlson-Voiles grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, spending memorable long summers in Hawaii, Virginia, and the north woods of Minnesota. Stray animals, wild animals, deep woods, ocean waves, storms and lakes helped shape her love for science and the natural world. During high school and college she discovered the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness, which became a lifelong magnet. After graduating from the University of Minnesota in English and Art, she lived in California for several years before moving back to Minnesota to teach special education and English.

Polly's interest in writing for children ranges from poetry, picture books, non-fiction, and middle grade novels. Her teaching spanned grades K-12 in settings from elementary to juvenile detention to teaching teen parents. From her teaching Polly learned that books are windows, glue, tunnels, and telescopes for children at any level of learning.

While visiting her cabin on Lake Vermilion, Polly noticed a disturbance in the glassy water of the lake, only to watch a deer swim out into the water, pursued by a wolf. After several attacks the exhausted wolf swam back to land 50 feet from where Polly stood, camera-free but electric with interest. It is this wolf who worked its way roundabout into Polly's winter book, Someone Walks By, The Wonders of Winter Wildlife. She says it was this wolf and a frozen frog who inspired her to illustrate and write this book.

With their children grown, and both retired from teaching, Polly and her husband Steve moved up north to live full time in the wild and beautiful lap of the BWCAW, outside of Ely, Minnesota, where the wolves howl and leave their tracks at the bottom of the driveway.