Children's author and illustrator, G. Brian Karas was born in Milford, Connecticut. He attended Paier School of Art and graduated with highest honors. After school, he worked as a greeting card artist and a commercial illustrator. Home on the Bayou, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, was his first illustrated book. Since then, he has illustrated over seventy books for children. Titles authored and/or illustrated by Karas have won numerous other awards. Saving Sweetness written by Diane Stanley was a Capitol Choices Noteworthy Book for Children in 1996, received a Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon in 1996, and was a School Library Journal Best Book of 1996. Like Butter On… Pancakes by Jonathan London was a School Library Journal Best Book of 1995. The Class Artist, written and illustrated by Mr. Karas, was a Smithsonian Magazines Notable Book for Children in 2001 and received the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio 2002 Best Book Gold Award.