About the Author

J. Jaye Smith spent her childhood in Slidell, Louisiana, and found her passion in the creative arts while still in high school. She attended Belmont University and graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education in 1993. Smith has worked as a vocalist and a music teacher for most of her life and is also an accomplished songwriter. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her family and spends her free time reading, dancing, and gardening. Kathy Coates' work is on permanent display in gallery collections throughout the Southeast. Coates uses illustrating to combine her love of art, the South, and the natural world. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and her illustrations appear in Batty About Texas and Cowgirl Alphabet, both available from Pelican. She lives and works in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.