Timothy Basil Ering may be best known as the illustrator of Kate DiCamillo’s Newbery-winning book The Tale of Despereaux, but he has also authored several popular children’s books including The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone and Necks Out for Adventure — where he reveals his love of wordplay (hornly scratchers and scrintalberry leaves, anyone?) and fresh, expressive illustration style.
Timothy Shanahan is an internationally recognized professor of urban education and reading researcher who has extensive experience with children in inner-city schools and children with special needs. He helped lead the National Reading Panel (NRP), convened at the request of Congress to evaluate research on the teaching of reading. The resulting 2000 NRP Report has had a significant, lasting influence on reading education. He is author/editor of more than 200 publications on literacy education. His research emphasizes the connections between reading and writing, literacy in the disciplines, and improvement of reading achievement. His blog about teaching reading, Shanahan on Literacy, is syndicated on Reading Rockets.
Todd R. Risley was a professor of psychology at the University of Alaska and former professor of human development and senior scientist of the Bureau of Child Research at the University of Kansas. He is the co-author, with Betty Hart, of the book Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children.
