Sayuri Stabrowski is a teacher who has dedicated her career to helping children develop their literacy skills and discover a lifelong love for learning, reading, and writing. After graduating from UC Berkeley, she left her beloved home state of California to become a public-school teacher in New York City. Inspired by the curiosity and creativity of her upper elementary and middle school students, as well as her own kids, Sayuri followed her dream of writing books for children. As a Japanese American writer, educator, and mother, her range of experiences is reflected in her characters and settings. A horse girl, bookworm, and lover of the outdoors, nature, and world travel, Sayuri hopes to bring her stories and perspectives to readers everywhere, because she truly believes that books can change minds, empower young thinkers, and make the world a better place. Sayuri lives in Manhattan with her husband and three sons.
Dave Szalay is an award-winning illustrator, designer, and tenured university professor based in Ohio. Early in his career, Dave worked in theatrical set and exhibition design before moving into graphic design and creative direction. Dave is a lifelong picture book enthusiast and loves stories of history, culture, fantasy and folklore. He has created art for many non-fiction books, such as A Grand Idea: How William J. Wilgus Created Grand Central Terminal and The Superlative A. Lincoln. Dave received the Portfolio Showcase honor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and he has been recognized for dozens of other visual arts awards. Dave, his wife Krista, and their cat Luna live in the Village of Richfield, near the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The forests and wildlife that surround their home serve as major inspiration, as do the adventurous landscapes and environments he encounters while traveling. Dave holds an MFA in Illustration from University of Hartford.
