[2] She taught writing at the Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a masthead reviewer for The Horn Book.
Ellis has said that she gets her ideas from "memories, anecdotes people tell me, radio interviews, dreams, newspaper articles, family stories, being curious, observing the world, paying attention.
[5][6] She attended the University of British Columbia where she received her Bachelor of Arts honours in 1973 and a Master of Library Science (MLS) in 1975.
[1] After receiving her MLS, Ellis began working as a librarian in Vancouver before attending Simmons College, where she graduated with a Master of Arts degree in children's literature in 1980.
[1] Ellis retired from library work in 2007 but shortly after began teaching at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.