Margi Preus is the author of the Newbery Honor book Heart of a Samurai and other notable books for young readers that have been honored as ALA/ALSC Notables and landed on many best-of lists, including the New York Times Best Sellers list. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota, where her backyard teems with the woodland creatures she writes about, including a troupe of flying squirrels and at least one tiny, industrious shrew. Junyi Wu has illustrated several novels, including the Newbery Honor books Elf Dog and Owl Head by M. T. Anderson and Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker. She is from Southern California and loves gardening, collecting, and exploring the outdoors.