Ruth Strother is an award-winning writer and editor whose work has touched children around the globe. From running editorial departments at publishing houses to freelance writing and editing, Ruth has immersed herself in the creation of books for both children and adults. Her latest written works for children include W is for Woof: A Dog Alphabet and the NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children B is for Blue Planet: an Earth Science Alphabet. Ruth lives in Southern California with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.

John Francis is internationally recognized as one of the world’s foremost natural history illustrators. His work ranges widely over all areas of wildlife portrayal from the demands of scientific exactness, to the more loosely drawn children’s books for which he is also known. John has worked with a variety of publishers over the years, including Dorling Kindersley, Usborne, McGraw Hill, and Scholastic. John is a committed conservationist and his travels have taken him far and wide, from the icy wastes of the Arctic to the parched deserts of North America, from the mountain forests of New Zealand to the coral reefs of the Indian Ocean.