James Howe began his writing career with Bunnicula, which was published in 1979. Bunnicula has received numerous awards as a favorite among children throughout the U.S. and Canada. It was also the basis of a popular television special, a record and a tape, and has been published in the United Kingdom, as well as in German- and French-speaking countries. Howe so enjoyed writing as Harold — the shaggy dog narrator of Bunnicula — that he went on to write Howliday Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight and Nighty-Nightmare.

James Howe lives with his wife, Betsy Imershein, and their daughter, Zoe, in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.