TARA LAZAR learned to juggle at the age of ten in the intention of pursuing a career as a clown. Instead, she was chosen as the school's class clown. She eventually determined that riding goofy unicycles was more fun than writing silly stories like The Monstore, Little Red Gliding Hood, and, most recently, 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story. Tara, her acrobatic daughters, strongman husband, and hoop-jumping hamster live in New Jersey. MELISSA CROWTON once fantasized about joining an international circus ensemble to do acrobatic feats.

She hasn't yet mastered the backwards handstand with rotating plates, so she spends her time illustrating novels like Mousie, I Will Read to You, and the Baby Code! Her work has been honored by the Society of Illustrators, Creative Quarterly, and American Illustration, and she has made doodles for Google's homepage. She was born in Utah and now resides in Northern California, where she attempts to avoid breaking all of her dishes.