Jean Reidy once lived high above honking taxis, growling trash trucks, shrieking cars, and, of course, buses traveling in every direction. And she might like to again someday. But for now, she writes from her home in Colorado, right across the street from her neighborhood library, which she loves. Her fun, lively, and award-winning picture books have earned their spots as favorites among readers and listeners of all ages. Admittedly, she’s never had a tortoise…but over the years she has resided with a not-so-well-behaved assortment of turtles, parakeets, lizards, goldfish, hamsters, and even one feisty fire-bellied toad. Visit Jean online at JeanReidy.com.

Lucy Ruth Cummins is an author, an illustrator, and an art director of children’s books. Her debut picture book, A Hungry Lion, or A Dwindling Assortment of Animals, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award, an Irma Black Honor Book, and an ALA Notable Book. She is also the author-illustrator of Stumpkin. As a little girl, she had a turtle for a pet, but he ran away. Really. She lives with her little family in Brooklyn, New York.

Jean Reidy once lived high above honking taxis, growling trash trucks, shrieking cars, and, of course, buses traveling in every direction. And she might like to again someday. But for now, she writes from her home in Colorado, right across the street from her neighborhood library, which she loves. Her fun, lively, and award-winning picture books have earned their spots as favorites among readers and listeners of all ages. Admittedly, she's never had a tortoise'but over the years she has resided with a not-so-well-behaved assortment of turtles, parakeets, lizards, goldfish, hamsters, and even one feisty fire-bellied toad. Visit Jean online at JeanReidy.com.

Lucy Ruth Cummins is an author, an illustrator, and an art director of children's books. Her debut picture book, A Hungry Lion, or A Dwindling Assortment of Animals, was a finalist for the Governor General's Award, an Irma Black Honor Book, and an ALA Notable Book. She is also the author-illustrator of Stumpkin. As a little girl, she had a turtle for a pet, but he ran away. Really. She lives with her little family in Brooklyn, New York.