Donna Napoli

Donna Jo Napoli is both a linguist and a writer of children's fiction. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She is an award-winning author of poetry, novels, and short stories for children. A few of her award-winning children's books include Stones in Water (winner of the Golden Kite Award and the Sydney Taylor Award), Alligator Bayou (a Parents' Choice Gold book for historical fiction), Daughter of Venice (Nevada Young Readers' Award), Albert (Kentucky Bluegrass Award), and Mama Miti (Anne Izard's Storytellers' Choice Award and the Bock Book Award). Donna Jo lives outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Christina Balit has illustrated a number of children's books, including Atlantis and Escape from Pompeii. Before becoming a prize-winning illustrator, Ms. Balit studied at the Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London. She lives in Kent, England