Sharon Bell Mathis

Sharon Bell Mathis has won numerous awards for her many children's books, including the 1974 Coretta Scott King Author Award for RAY CHARLES. Some of her most enduring books include The Hundred-Penny Box, a Newbery Honor Book, and Teacup Full of Roses, an ALA Notable Book. A full-time writer, Mathis lives in Ft. Washington, Maryland.

George Ford is an award-winning artist who has illustrated dozens of children's books, including several by noted authors such as Nikki Grimes, Eloise Greenfield, Nikki Giovanni, and Robert Coles. In 1974, he was the recipient of the first Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for Ray Charles. A lifelong jazz enthusiast, Ford lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife.