Katherine Applegate (Author) Katherine Applegate is the author of The One and Only Ivan , winner of the Newbery Medal. Her books have been widely acclaimed and New York Times bestsellers. She lives in California, USA, with her family. Gennifer Choldenko (Author) Gennifer Choldenko 's best known Tales from Alcatraz series, has been called 'A cornerstone series in contemporary children's literature.' Al Capone Does My Shirts , the first book in the series, was a Newbery Honor Book and the recipient of twenty other awards. All four books in the series were Junior Library Guild selections and garnered many starred reviews. Gennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay area, USA, with her loyal husband and naughty dog.