Vanessa Brantley-Newton is a self-taught illustrator, doll maker, and crafter who studied fashion illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology and children’s book illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She has illustrated several picture books, two of which she also wrote. Brantley-Newton also loves to craft, cook, collect vintage children’s books, tell stories, make dolls, and shop. She lives in East Orange, New Jersey, with her husband, daughter, and two crazy cats, Kirby and Stripes.