Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) was born in Nigeria. An early career in radio ended abruptly in the national upheaval that led to the Biafran war, during which Achebe joined the Biafran Ministry of Information and represented Biafra on various diplomatic missions. In 1971, while also serving as editor of the Heinemann African Writers series, he helped to found the immensely influential literary magazine Okike. Achebe was the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of African Studies at Brown University. He lectured widely and received many honors from around the world, including the Honorary Fellowship of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and honorary doctorates from more than thirty institutions. He was the recipient of Nigeria's highest award for intellectual achievement, the Nigerian National Merit Award. In 2007, he won the Man Booker International Prize for Fiction. He was also awarded the 2010 Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, which recognizes cultural figures for having “an unprecedented impact in their chosen fields.”

Mary GrandPré is perhaps best known for her jacket illustrations for the U.S. editions of the Harry Potter series. The illustrator of Phyllis Root’s Lucia and the Light and numerous other picture books, she also worked on scenery development for the animated film Antz and has done illustrations for top editorial and advertising clients. She lives in Sarasota, Florida.