HARRIET ZIEFERT wears many hats. A graduate of Smith College, she also holds an MA in Education from NYU. She is the bestselling author of more than 250 children’s books and has developed easy-to-read series for several major publishing houses. As founder of Blue Apple Books, she has published over 500 titles, many of which have become best-selling modern classics. Since childhood Ziefert has always loved to swing, but now, as the mother of two and grandmother of five, she must wait her turn. Harriet Ziefert lives in the Berkshires, Massachusetts, where she is thankful streams, lakes, rain and snow in the winter. BRIAN FITZGERALD is an internationally recognized, award-winning illustrator of children's books. He is a graduate of Ireland's National College of Art and Design and has also worked on publishing, editorial, and design projects. Brian Fitzgerald lives near Dublin, a port town on the banks of the river Liffy which flows into the Irish Sea and sometimes, quite often actually, it rains, for which he is thankful.