J. Patrick Lewis has earned a lofty reputation in children's publishing, having authored more than 100 picture books. From 2011 to 2013, he served as Children's Poet Laureate of the United States. Among his other honors are the 2011 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Excellence in Children's Poetry Award and the Ohioana Awards' 2004 Alice Louise Wood Memorial Prize. He lives in Westerville, Ohio.

Twin sisters Anna and Elena Balbusso are award-winning Italian artists who have illustrated more than 40 books. Their work, known for its Renaissance sensibility, has been featured in numerous exhibitions and galleries around the world, as well as recognized by such organizations as the Society of Illustrators.