Lauren Mendez is an illustrator from Southern California.  She currently lives just outside of Portland, OR with her husband and 2 cats.  She graduated from UCLA with a degree in studio arts and is a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Kelly Gaffney is a former early childhood teacher who has written for Engage Literacy since 2010. When not writing for Engage Literacy, Kelly works as an intervention specialist for primary and secondary school-aged children. She lives in Victoria, Australia.