Cynthia Rylant was born on June 6, 1954 in Hopewell, Virginia. She attended and received degrees at Morris Harvey College, Marshall University, and Kent State University. Rylant worked as an English professor and at the children's department of a public library, where she first discovered her love of children's literature. She has written more than 100 children's books in English and Spanish, including works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Her novel Missing May won the 1993 Newbery Medal and A Fine White Dust was a 1987 Newbery Honor book. Rylant wrote A Kindness, Soda Jerk, and A Couple of Kooks and Other Stories, which were named as Best Book for Young Adults. When I was Young in the… Mountains and The Relatives Came won the Caldecott Award. She has many popular picture books series, including Henry and Mudge, Mr. Putter and Tabby and High-Rise Private Eyes.
Diane Goode was born in New York City. She has written seven and created the paintings for 55 highly acclaimed children's picture books, including the Caldecott Honor Book When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant. Diane's other awards include, New York Times Best Seller Lists, ALA Notable(s), ABA Pick of the Lists, Oppenheim Platinum Book Award(s), Top Ten English Speaking Union of the United States Ambassador of Honor, Parent's Choice Award, Teacher's Choice Award, International Reading Association CBC, Children's Choice, Library of Congress Children's Book of the Year, National Council of Social Studies- Children's Book Council, Society of Illustrators Certificate(s )of Merit,… NY Public Library 100 Titles of Reading & Sharing, Book List, and Children's Editor's Choice. Diane is the illustrator of New York Times bestseller Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies by Cokie Roberts.