Roberto Piumini lives and works in his native Italy. He has worked with children as both a teacher and a theater actor/entertainer. He credits these experiences for inspiring the youthful language of his many books. With his crisp and imaginative way of dealing with every kind of subject, he charms his young readers. His award-winning books, for both children and adults, have been translated into many languages.
When Francesca Chessa was four years old, she saw a film about the artist Michelangelo. Afterward she began drawing inside her wardrobe closet, imagining she was painting the Sistina Chapel. Eventually, she studied architecture, but she realized she would rather paint animals and the things that surrounded her. She began illustrating books in 1997. She works in a colorful studio that is full of books and overlooks a small courtyard garden.