About the Author

Ronald Mellor, who is Professor of History at UCLA, first became enthralled with ancient history as a student at Regis High School in New York City. He is the statewide Faculty Advisor of the California History-Social Science Project, which brings university faculty together with K-12 teachers at sites throughout California. In 2000, the American Historical Association awarded the CHSSP the Albert J. Beveridge Award for K-12 teaching. Professor
Mellor has held fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Council of Learned Societies. His research has centered on ancient religion and Roman historiography. His books include: Theia
Rhome: The Goddess Roma in the Greek World (1975); From Augustus to Nero: The First Dynasty of Imperial Rome (1990); Tacitus 1993); Tacitus: The Classical Heritage (1995); The Historians of Ancient Rome (1997); and The Roman Historians (1999).

Born in New Orleans, Marni McGee grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her love of words began in childhood. She remembers sitting around the dinner table at night with her father, mother, older sister, and younger brother--all talking about the day. Along with the fried chicken and grits were dishes of laughter, teasing, memories, and stories. Many of her books spring from these family experiences. She began writing children's books in 1974 and has been a full-time writer
since 1994. Her work--published in the United States, United Kingdom, and Korea--includes award-winning picture books, easy readers, poetry, and historical fiction.