Born outside Cincinnati, Ohio, Roberta Karim grew up in the country, surrounded by wooded hills, wildflowers, and horses. As a child and young adult, she had the opportunity to travel extensively, visiting 28 countries in all. She graduated from high school at the International School of Brussels in Belgium and spent her first two years of college at John Cabot International College in Rome, Italy.
Coming back to the U.S. to finish her education, Roberta graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. She did graduate work at Purdue University, where she earned a master's degree in English Literature and Composition. While at Purdue, Roberta taught Freshman and Remedial Composition, and English as a Second Language. At the other end of the spectrum, she has taught pre-schoolers for 8 years. As an author of children’s books, she has given numerous presentations at schools, libraries and other institutions.