Matthew J. Kirby is an American author of middle grade and young adult children's books.

As the son of a naval officer, he had the opportunity to live in various parts of the country, including Maryland, California, and Hawaii.

[1] His early writing endeavors were more tailored to adults in the form of poetry and short fiction, but he eventually settled into writing for young people as he discovered many of his ideas were more "suited for a younger audience.

It was a children's historical fantasy set in a fictional American city in the late 19th century.

His second book, Icefall, about a Viking princess, won the 2012 Edgar Award for Juvenile Fiction.