Barbara Knutson was the award-winning author and illustrator of many children’s books, including How the Guinea Fowl Got Her Spots and Love and Roast Chicken. A resident of St. Paul and a cherished member of Twin Cities literary community, Ms. Knutson grew up in South Africa and traveled extensively throughout the world. She drew on her firsthand experiences abroad to create the rich, multicultural stories and folktales for which she became so well known. She passed away in 2005.