Winner of the 2015 National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excellence in Poetry, Marilyn Singer is the author of more than 120 books for children and young adults, including realistic novels, fantasies, non-fiction, fairy tales, picture books, mysteries, and poetry collections. She likes writing many different kinds of books because it's challenging and it keeps her from getting bored.

Marilyn was born in the Bronx (New York City) on October 3, 1948 and lived most of her early life in N. Massapequa (Long Island), NY. She attended Queens College, City University of New York, and for her junior year, Reading University, England. She holds a B.A. in English from Queens and an M.A. in Communications from New York University.

In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write - initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides, and film strips. Then, one day, when she was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, she penned a story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the responses she got, she wrote more stories, and in 1976, her first book, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn't, was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.

Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY and Washington, CT with her husband Steve; their standard poodle Bizzy, a cat named Benito, and two collared doves. Her interests include swing, ballroom and Latin dancing, dog training, reading, hiking, bird-watching, gardening, playing online word games, and going to the theatre.

Marilyn is the former host of the AOL Children's Writers Chat and co-hosts the Poetry Blast at various conferences. Visit her web site: www.marilynsinger.net.

Alexandra Boiger grew up in Munich, Germany, as the youngest of seven children. Just imagine the many stories which could be told! Reading and drawing were always a big part of her life. After studying graphic design in Augsburg, Germany, she started a career in Feature Animation, which brought her all the way to California. Her biggest passion though, children's books, eventually became her main focus. Since then Alexandra has illustrated many beloved books, including While Mama Had a Quick Little Chat, written by Amy Reichert, the Tallulah books about a ballerina by Marilyn Singer, and When Jackie Saved Grand Central by Natasha Wing. Alexandra is also the illustrator of the New York Times #1 bestselling picture book She Persisted, written by Chelsea Clinton as well as its New York Times bestselling companion She Persisted Around the World. These inspirational non-fiction picture books celebrate winning in the face of immeasurable odds and how one person can make a difference. Boiger's debut as an author and illustrator was Max and Marla, the first in a picture book series. Now these two best friends are back in Max and Marla Are Having a Picnic.

You can visit Alexandra Boiger at www.alexandraboiger.com