Deborah Heiligman writes fiction and nonfiction, for kids of all ages. She’s published more than 26 books, exploring topics as diverse as religious celebrations around the world, babies, butterflies, honeybees, and a particularly charming “loves-to-hear-a-book” dog (our kind of dog!). Her 2009 book, Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith was nominated as a National Book Award Finalist.

Vicki Cobb, the “Julia Child” of hands-on science, is a former science teacher with a playful and accessible approach to science. She’s published more than 85 books for grades K-8 that explore physics, chemistry and biology, biographies, geography, and the human body. Her Science Play series targets kids 3-5 years old, who are already natural scientists with their interest in the world around.