Joanna Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey on August 11, 1944. She attended the University of Massachusetts, Indiana University, and City College of New York where she earned a degree in Psychology. Ms. Cole has worked as an elementary school teacher, a librarian, and a children's book editor. As a child, she loved science and explaining things and this is why she started writing children's books. She writes fiction and non-fiction titles. Her most well-known series are the Magic School Bus and the "Body." Cole's books have received a number of honors. A Horse's Body and A Snake's Body were both named Outstanding Science Trade Books for children by the joint committee of the National… Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council. In 1982, A Snake's Body was named a Children's Choice Book by the joint committee of the International Reading Association and the Children's Book Council. Both A Cat's Body and A Bird's Body were Junior Literary Guild selections. In 1991, she was awarded the Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Nonfiction award.
Bruce Degen is the bestselling author and illustrator of the beloved, perennial favorite Jamberry and numerous award-winning books for children. He is the author and illustrator of Daddy Is a Doodlebug and Sailaway Home as well as the illustrator of the highly acclaimed Magic School Bus series by Joanna Cole; the ever-popular Jesse Bear books by Nancy White Carlstrom; Jazzmatazz! by Stephanie Calmenson; and Shirley's Wonderful Baby by Valiska Gregory (available at your local library).Bruce Degen's involvement with art has ranged from painting and printmaking to teaching art in New York City schools and directing an artists' lithography studio in Israel. Mr. Degen studied art at the Cooper… Union and Pratt Institute. He was born in Brooklyn, New York—just like Charlie Muttnik—and now lives with his family in Connecticut.