Julie Downing has illustrated more than 45 picture books, including The Firekeeper's Son, No Hugs Till Saturday, Lotus and Feather, and First Mothers. She has a degree from the Rhode Island School of Design, and she teaches watercolor and children's book illustration at the Academy of Art University. Downing's art has been featured in galleries throughout England and the United States, as well as in the Society of Illustrator's Original Art Show in New York City. She has won many awards, including the New York Public Library Best Books Award and a Parents' Choice Award.
