Sally Isaacs grew up in Evansville, Indiana, and graduated from Indiana University. She served as Editorial Director of Reader's Digest Educational Division before becoming a professional writer of nonfiction and educational books. She has written 50 books including American history books, biographies, and atlases for children. In 2004, her book Cattle Trails and Cowboys (Heinemann Library) won the June Franklin Naylor Award for Best Book for Children on Texas History, given by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Sally began her research on Helen Thayer's Arctic journey by reading Helen's book with its day-by-day accounts. She followed this with several telephone interviews with Helen. Sally is the co-founder and co-chair of the 21st Century Children's Nonfiction Conference. Iva Sasheva is a master printmaker, painter, sculptor and book illustrator. Her first exhibition at the age of 13 was followed by a number of solo and group shows in Europe and America. As an artist she has contributed her work to more than 25 feature films and collaborated with authors in the creation of several graphic novels, literary novels, and children's books.