Audrey Wood was born in Sarasota Florida. When Wood was two, her family moved to Mexico to study art. Wood and her three sisters were tutored in music, dance, painting, and drama. She decided at a young age that she wanted to create children's picture books. Wood is one of four generations of artists in her family, and the only female artist. Wood began writing children's books seriously when her son was two years old. Her first book, 24 Robbers, was published in 1978. Wood and her husband, Don collaborate on many of Wood's picture books. The first book the two did together was called Moonflute.
David Shannon was born October 5, 1960, Washington, D.C. He is an American author and illustrator. He graduated from the Art Center College of Design and now lives in Los Angeles. In 1998 he won the Caldecott Honor for his No, David!. He also wrote A Bad Case of Stripes, How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball, and The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza. He has also illustrated Audrey Wood's The Bunyans, various books by Jane Yolen including The Ballad of the Pirate Queens and Encounter, as well as Melinda Long's How I Became a Pirate and Pirates Don't Change Diapers. Shannon currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.