Atinuke was born in Nigeria, where she spent her childhood in a mansion in the megacity of Lagos. She spent her teenage years in England and once lived in a round house in the woods. Atinuke is the author of the best-selling Anna Hibiscus series, as well as Africa, Amazing Africa: Country by Country, illustrated by Mouni Feddag; the Too Small Tola series, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu; and the picture books Baby Goes to Market, B Is for Baby, Catch That Chicken!, and Baby, Sleepy Baby, all illustrated by Angela Brooksbank. Atinuke now lives on a mountain overlooking the sea in Wales.

Emily Hughes studied at the Arts University College Bournemouth, in England. Inspired by picture-book illustration from the 1960s and '70s as well as Chinese cinema, she creates enchanting, atmospheric worlds for all her characters. Emily Hughes is the author-illustrator of Wild, The Little Gardener, and The Snail and the illustrator of A Brave Bear by Sean Taylor, Charlie and Mouse by Laurel Snyder, and Everything You Need for a Treehouse by Carter Higgins. Born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, Emily Hughes now lives in London.