Clement C. Moore was born in in New York City in 1779. During his lifetime, he wrote in a variety of forms, including biography, translation, fiction, and poetry. He is perhaps most famous for his poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” which was first published anonymously in 1823, and later became known as “The Night Before Christmas.” The first few lines of this poem are some of the best-known verses of American literature and Moore’s descriptions of Santa Claus have contributed significantly to our conception of him. Moore died in 1863, but his legacy will live on forever.

Anita Lobel’s name is synonymous with the best in children’s literature. She is the creator of such classics as Alison’s Zinnia and Away from Home, and she received a Caldecott Honor for her illustrations in On Market Street. She is the creator of three books featuring her cat, Nini: One Lighthouse, One Moon (a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book); Nini Lost and Found; and Nini Here and There. She also wrote Ducks on the Road, which The Horn Book called “cozy.” Her childhood memoir, No Pretty Pictures: A Child of War, was a finalist for the National Book Award. Anita Lobel lives in New York City.