<b>Jill McElmurry </b>was the illustrator of many picture books, including her own <i>Mad About Plaid, </i><i>When Otis Courted Mama </i>by Kathi Appelt and the best-selling <i>Little Blue Truck </i>series<i>, </i>written by Alice Schertle. She happily divided her time between the wide landscape of New Mexico and a green island in Minnesota. Jill passed away in August 2017.