James Preller is the author of the popular Jigsaw Jones mystery books, which have sold more than 10 million copies since 1998. He is also the author of Bystander, named a 2009 Junior Library Guild Selection, Six Innings, an ALA Notable Book, and Mighty Casey, his own twist on the classic poem, "Casey at the Bat." In addition to writing full-time, Preller plays in a men's hardball league and coaches Little League. He compares coaching kids to "trying to hold the attention of a herd of earthworms." He lives in Delmar, New York, with his wife, three children, cats and dog.
Greg Ruth lives and works in the landlocked woodlands of Western Massachusetts with his wife, Jen, and two boys, Emmett and Nathaniel, where he crafts graphic novels, children's picture books, and many other items to pass the long days not at sea. While he did indeed attend first grade, sadly, he was without pirate accompaniment. However, he has pondered a hook for his left hand (but only because he thinks they're really cool).
James Preller is the author of the popular
Jigsaw Jones mystery books, which have sold more than 10 million copies since 1998. He is also the author of
Bystander, named a 2009 Junior Library Guild Selection,
Six Innings, an ALA Notable Book, and
Mighty Casey, his own twist on the classic poem, “Casey at the Bat.” In addition to writing full-time, Preller plays in a men’s hardball league and coaches Little League. He compares coaching kids to “trying to hold the attention of a herd of earthworms.” He lives in Delmar, New York with his wife, three children, cats and dog.
Greg Ruth is the illustrator of many graphic novels and books for children, including
A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade and
A Pirate’s Guide to Recess by James Preller, and is also the author/illustrator of
Coming Home and
The Lost Boy, a
New York Times bestseller. He lives Ashfield, Massachusetts, with his family.
Fred Berman is a five-time winner of the AudioFile Earphone Award for Audiobook Narration and the recipient of the 2013 Audie Award for narration in Spy the Lie. He has read a number of audiobooks for young listeners, including Judy Blume’s Soupy Saturdays with The Pain&The Great One and Andrew Clements’s The Last Holiday Concert. He has also narrated the audiobooks for Robert Kirkman’s popular series, The Walking Dead.
Berman is an accomplished actor of both the stage and screen as well, performing on Broadway as Timon in The Lion King and off-Broadway in Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and King Lear. On television, Berman has had roles on NBC’s hit series Smash as well as All My Children and Law and Order. He lives in New York City.
