Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert

For over 30 years, Dr. Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert has been an Early Literacy teacher, leader, and trainer in urban schools, and has written for children and educators alike. As a first grade teacher, she started writing stories for her diverse group of students. Dr. Lavert's other books for children include Off to School, a Smithsonian Honor Book, and The Music in Derrick's Heart, a Reading Rainbow Book. She is now an international literacy/leadership consultant, providing training in places like Dubai, Qatar, and Oman. She holds a PhD in Leadership from Indiana State University and a Masters in Literacy from Texas A&M University. Dr. Lavert lives in Bedford, Texas.

Colin Bootman is a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award Winning artist, who has illustrated many books for young readers, including two books by David A. Adler: A Picture Book of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., A Holiday House Reader. He lives in New York City.