MIREILLE MESSIER is a Montreal-born, Ottawa-raised and now Toronto-based author, freelance writer and voice-over artist. She has published over twenty children's books, including The Branch , which was nominated for a Governor General's Award, and Sergeant Billy , winner of the Rocky Mountain Book Award, the Shining Willow Award and the Christopher Book Award. She has written for youth magazines and has collaborated in the production of many family programs and interactive apps for CBC, TVO/TFO and Teletoon. Mireille enjoys reading graphic novels, music and, of course, birds! MATTE STEPHENS is a painter, illustrator and object maker. His work has been shown in galleries from New York to Seattle, and he has illustrated several children's books including Mr. Flux by Kyo Maclear and Tigers and Tea with Toppy by Barbara Kerley and Rhoda Knight Kalt. Matte lives in Peterborough, New Hampshire, with his wife Vivienne and their pets Polly, Irving, Henry and Mr. Charlie.