Someone Builds the Dream

Award-winning children’s author, Lisa Wheeler has worked many jobs, most of them involving bad smells. “I’ve washed diapers–both baby and adult–, scrubbed toilets, and even spent a few months as the best night-crawler wrangler on a small island.” But her favorite job, hands-down, is writing. “Fresh books are one of my favorite smells—bonus!” Lisa is passionate about children’s books. “I love everything about them!” She’s written over 40 picture books in prose and rhyme, an easy reader series, four books of poems, and creative nonfiction for the very young. “As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a rhymer. Wordplay excites me!” Lisa’s newest books are Dino-Christmas, People Don’t Bite People, Babies Can Sleep Anywhere and The Christmas Boot . Lisa writes her books in southeast Michigan

Loren Long grew up in Lexington, Kentucky. He pursued graduate-level studies at the American Academy of Art in Chicago after graduating with a BA in Graphic Design/Art Studio from the University of Kentucky. After graduation Long worked as an illustrator for a greeting card company in Cincinnati before beginning his career as a freelance illustrator.Since then, Long has received numerous accolades for his fluid WPA painting style. He has been awarded two gold medals from the Society of Illustrators in New York, and has been frequently selected for their annual exhibition and book. His work has also appeared in many other major annual exhibitions such as American Illustration, Communication Arts, Step By Step Graphics and Print.