Jane O'Connor was born in New York City in 1947. She received a bachelor's degree in English literature from Smith College in 1969. In 1971, she began her publishing career by working in the editorial department of Hastings House Publishers. From 1977 to 1983, she was an editor at Scholastic, Inc.; then she moved to Random House, where she became editor-in-chief of children's books. In 1989, she moved to Grosset and Dunlap. Her first novel, Yours Till Niagara Falls, Abby, was published in 1979. Since then she has written more than 30 children's books including the Nina, Nina Ballerina stories, the Fancy Nancy series and the adult novels Dangerous Admissions and Almost True Confessions. She has won numerous awards including the New York Academy of Sciences Honor book in 1981 for Magic in the Movies: The Story of Special Effects, with Katy Hall; Golden Sower Award, Nebraska Library Association in 1982 for Yours Till Niagara Falls, Abby; and the Quill Award for Best Picture Book in 2007 for Fancy Nancy. She is vice-president and editor-at-large for Penguin Books for Young Readers. In 2013 her title Fancy Nancy: Nancy Clancy Sees The Future made The New York Times Best Seller List. Fancy Nancy and the Wedding of the Century made The New York Times Best Seller List in 2014.
Illustrator, Ann James was born in Melbourn, Australia in 1952. The first book she illustrated was A Pet for Mrs. Arbuckle by Gwenda Smyth. Since then she has illustrated over forty books including the Penny Pollard series. Her work has won her several awards. Bernice Knows Best by Max Dann and Hannah Plus One by Libby Gleeson, won the CBC Junior Book of the Year Award, and The Midnight Gang, by Margaret Wild, was an Honour Book in the Picture Book of the Year, and won three Children's Choice awards in Australia. In 2002, James won the Dromkeen Medal which is awarded each year to an Australian citizen for work that 'makes a significant contribution to the appreciation and development of children's literature.' Ann has also written and illustrated two picture books, Finding Jack and One Day. She was an Art teacher at Doveton High School and Ringwood High School, 1974-77. The former art teacher and graphic designer formed Books Illustrated, a children's bookshop and gallery, with partner Ann Haddon in 1988. They were the recipients of the Pixie O'Harris Award for Distinguished Service to Australian Children's Literature in 2000. Ann James was also the Ministry of Education's Publication Branch, Victoria, Australia. She has received numerous awards over the years including the CBCA Picture Book award shortlist in 2004, for Shutting the Chooks In.
