ao Nyeu grew up in Niskayuna, New York, a town whose name means "Flowing Fields of Corn." She earned a BFA from Cornell University and moved to New York City to live life as a graphic designer. As it turns out, drawing is more fun so she waved goodbye to the design world to attend the School of Visual Arts' MFA Illustration program. She graduated in 2007 with a special interest in silkscreening and etching.

Her first picture book, Wonder Bear, was published by Dial Books / Penguin in spring 2008 and was awarded the Society of Illustrators’ Founders Award. Bunny Days was published by Dial Books / Penguin in Spring 2010. She feels honored to be in the good company of artists she admires in the book Manners Mash-Up: A Goofy Guide to Good Behavior published by Dial Books / Penguin in Spring 2011.

Tao lives in sunny California and enjoys the company of fruits and flowers.