Eve Merriam was an Obie Award-winning playwright and a winner of the National Council of the Teachers of English (NCTE) Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. During her distinguished career she authored more than fifty books including It Doesn't Always Have To Rhyme, 12 Ways to Get to 11, The Inner City Mother Goose, and Low Song. Ms. Merriam died in 1992.Ryan G. Van Cleave is the author of dozens of books for both children and adults. He earned a PhD in American literature with an emphasis in poetry and has taught writing at numerous colleges and universities. As the Picture Book Doctor, Ryan helps celebrities create stories for kids and bring them to life on the page, stage, and screen.Anna Simeone is a children’s illustrator based in Sopot, Poland. After studying Literature in Gdansk and spending ten years in Italy, she returned to her seaside hometown, where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and their dog, Leo. She has illustrated children’s books for publishers in Poland, Italy, France, and the UK, capturing joyful, heartfelt moments of everyday life. Her vibrant colour palettes are inspired by the world around her—seasonal vegetables and flowers, secondhand porcelain, and even the soft fur of her dog.