Dia L. Michels is an award-winning internationally published science and parenting writer, she is the author or editor of over a dozen books for both children and adults. Her books have been translated into Spanish, Dutch, Hebrew, Chinese, and Korean. A popular speaker, she lectures frequently at conferences, universities, libraries, and schools around the country. She teaches classes on mammal reproduction and lactation at children's and science museums around the U.S. and is a commentator for Public Radio, International. Her articles have been published in People, Parenting, Mothering, Parents, Baby Talk, Family Fun, Nurturing, and the Washington Post. She lives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, with her husband, Tony Gualtieri, their three children, and four cats and a dog. She can be reached at Dia@PlatypusMedia.com.

Fred Bell draws on memories of childhood with his two sisters for the illustrations in Zack In The Middle. He does his drawings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he lives with his dog and cat. His drawings appear in publications regularly throughout the US.

A resident of Jersey City, NJ, Dan Liegey is a professional illustrator and storyboard artist who loves his job. He loves chocolate and candy so much that sometimes he has to remind himself to eat some vegetables. He has been a brother ever since the day he was born.

A fifth-grader living in Washington, DC, Zaydek Michels-Gualtieriloves making clay creatures, racing cars, playing computer games, and working on his solid foil ball. He is a little brother to Akaela and a big brother to Miralah. Though he occasionally works on his catapult designs, he really does love being a brother!

Akaela S. Michels-Gualtieri lives in Washington, DC with her writer-mother, her scientist-father, a younger brother, a baby sister and three cats. When she is not playing the piano, she is usually doing gymnastics. A world traveler, she has been to Europe and China.