I Am a Thief!

Abigail Rayner was born in England where they have lots of history and rain. She spent her childhood visiting castles, picnicking in cars, and getting told off for writing stories during maths. When she grew up, she became a reporter and moved to New York, where she was encouraged to write stories, but not the made-up kind. These days she lives in New Jersey, with her wonderful husband, two brilliant kids, and three terrible cats. She never gets in trouble for writing stories.

Molly Ruttan grew making art and music in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. She went on to earn a BFA in graphic design from the Cooper Union School of Art, while drumming in an art-punk band. Currently, Molly lives, works and creates art in the diverse and historic neighborhood of Echo Park in Los Angeles, where she and her husband raised three talented (and now grown-up) children. Molly loves exploring all different kinds of fine art and illustration mediums, including making her own animated book trailers. She still plays the drums, sings in a community choir and has recently started taking viola lessons. Her life is full of art, music, family, friends and all kinds of pets and urban animals—even wild parrots! Her book titles include her author/illustrator debut, The Stray, (2020 Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House) which was listed as a 2021 ALA CORE Golden Duck Notable Picture Book; I Am A Thief! by Abigail Rayner, (2019 North South Books) which earned a starred Kirkus review and won a 2021 Northern Lights Book Award for humor; and Violet and the Crumbs: A Gluten-Free Adventure by Abigail Rayner (North South Books, 2022), which has been endorsed by the Celiac Disease Foundation. Something Wild has also received a starred Kirkus review. Molly has two additional books forthcoming.