AUDREY COULOUMBIS' first book for children, Getting Near to Baby, won theĀ  Newbery Honor in 2000. Audrey is also the author of several other highly acclaimed books for young readers including The Misadventures of Maude March, which was named a Junior Library Guild Selection, a Booksense 76 Pick, a New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, and a National Parenting Publications Gold Award Winner.

AKILA COULOUMBIS was born in New York and spent his childhood in Greece. During World War II, German officers boarded in the family's parlor. Akila's stories from that time led him to collaborate with Audrey on this book. Akila and Audrey were married for 42 years and have two grown children.