A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Tad (Margaret) Liechty earned her bachelor's and Master's degrees in education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She taught elementary school for 30 years, and one of her greatest joys was to share her love of reading, writing, and nature with children. A mother and grandmother, she continues to share her love of the written word and the natural world through both volunteer work and her own writing. The author of Just Say So, If You Say So, The King's Cookies, Martha and the Mutt, and Martha and New Horizons, Tad lives in Oxford, Ohio with her husband Gil. Tad can be reached via email at tadliechtybooks@gmail.com

Joanne McDonough was a life-long native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who spent much of her free time gardening or creating art, both visually and in print. Her first children's book, Dominic's Ducks, grew out of Joanne's love of children and animals. A true story about orphaned ducklings, it was written in the mid-1980s. Joanne put the story aside while she raised her daughter and grandson and worked full-time. In retirement, she dusted it off and created bright, delightful illustrations to accompany the story. Her follow-up book, Dominic's Ducks at the Zoo, follows the continuing adventures of Joanne's feathered friends, especially the feisty little duckling known as Chief. We are grateful to Joanne's family, who inspired her to follow her passion and reminded her that a person is never too old to do something they love.