Dr. Michael Datcher received his B.S. from UC Berkeley and his Ph.D. from UC Riverside in English Literature. He made his picture book debut with
Harlem at Four, illustrated by Frank Morrison, which received two starred reviews. Dr. Datcher is the author of the
New York Times Bestseller
Raising Fences and the critically-acclaimed Ferguson-area historical novel
Americus. His book
Animating Black and Brown Liberation: A Theory of American Literatures was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Datcher has made numerous media appearances, including
Oprah,
Today Show and
Dateline. Dr. Michael Datcher is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Writing at New York University's School of Liberal Studies.
Charly Palmer is an award-winning fine artist, graphic designer, and illustrator. He was born in Fayette, Alabama, raised in Milwaukee, and currently teaches at Spelman College in Atlanta, where he lives with his wife, Karida Brown. He has illustrated many children's books, including
The Teachers March! How Selma's Teachers Changed History,
My Rainy Day Rocket Ship, M
ama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope With Her Song, which received a Coretta Scott King Honor Award, and
The New Brownies Book: A Love Letter to Black Families which received an NAACP Award and the
Boston Globe-
Horn Book Award.