Born January 2, 1921, in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York, Bonsall studied at New York University School of Architecture and the American School of Design.

Her children's literature career started as a doodle of an orange-haired, freckle-faced rag doll on her drawing board at the advertising agency she was working for at the time.

Illustrated by Fritz Siebel, the book was published in 1961 as part of Harper & Row's "I Can Read" children's series.

As a writer, Bonsall supplied the text to six of photographer Ylla's children's books, including award-winning 1964 I'll Show You Cats.

[3][4] A spokesperson for HarperCollins described her as follows: "Ms. Bonsall's deceptively simple style conceals a wealth of artistry, skillful characterization, suspense and humor rarely found in children's books—the drawings, as delightful as the text, are an extra dividend.