Eve Bunting was the beloved, award-winning author of more than two hundred and fifty books for young people, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere. Chris K. Soentpiet is an award-winning illustrator whose work reflects his interest in people, history, and culture. He was given the gold medal from the Society of Illustrators in New York City for his illustrations in Haemi Balgassi's Peacebound Trains, and his books have been recognized by the American Booksellers Association, School Library Journal, the International Reading Association, the Junior Library Guild, Parents' Choice, Parents' magazine, and Smithsonian magazine. Soentpiet has a B.F.A. from Pratt Institute.