JOE MELILLO - Author (book, song) Joe Melillo is an aspiring singer/songwriter with a catalog of nearly 100 songs of many different genres. He is also an aspiring actor with a few movie and television appearances to his credit. The one thing he doesn't aspire to be is a computer programmer, mainly because he already is one. He is the author of Parker The Platypus, the first book in the Parker series, and is extremely proud of the fact that, with no exaggeration, it has become the favorite book of almost all children who read it. He lives alone in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The best source of other information about him, including links to his original songs on many download sites, is his Web page at http: //www.joemelillo.net.

SAMI MELILLO - Illustrator Sami Melillo is a 13-year-old 8th grader at Churchill Junior High School in East Brunswick, New Jersey. She enjoys cooking, music, hanging out with her friends and family, and, of course, drawing. She is the illustrator of Parker The Platypus, the first book in the Parker series, and has received incredible praise for her work from the children who have read the book. She has demonstrated an uncanny talent for designing and illustrating pictures particularly appealing to young readers. The illustrations for Parker Helps Hubert The Hippopotamus were presented to her Uncle Joe as a birthday present, which was the best present he ever received. She is loved by everyone she meets, but especially her parents, her grandparents, and her Uncle Joe.