Eric Kimmel was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1946. He received a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Lafayette College. He also has a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Illinois. He was an elementary school teacher and college professor before becoming a full-time writer. He has published over fifty titles, many of which have won state and national awards. His titles "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" won the Caldecott Honor Medal, "The Chanukkah Guest" and "Gershon's Monster" won the Sydney Taylor Picture Book Award and "Anansi and the Talking Melon" won the Utah Children's Choice Award. Kimmel travels nationally and internationally visiting schools and talking about his books and telling stories.
Janet Stevens received her B.F.A. from the University of Colorado. Widely admired for her dipictions of animals, she has illustrated more than 20 Children's books. Among them are Anansi and the Moss-covered Rock and Nanny goat and the Seven Little Kids, both retold by Dr. Kimmel, and Androcles and the Lion the The Tortoise and the Hare, which Janet adapted as well as illustrated. Ms. Stevens lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband and two children.
