Joe Hox was born with a spade in one hand and a pencil in the other. He was raised on an Iowa farm where he spent his days vanquishing thistles and sketching critters. Today as an artist, he's moved to town, but he's still inspired by rows of corn and fluffy clouds over cow pastures. Joe has illustrated more than a dozen books, including Zoe's Hiding Place and Farmer Gary's Birthday Adventure.Growing up, Katie Olthoff dreamed of following in the footsteps of authors like Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and Louisa May Alcott, who wrote fiction based on everyday life. After marrying a farmer and learning more about agriculture, Katie began writing (mostly non-fiction) articles and books about farming, and she has written for many different agriculture organizations and publications. Katie and her husband have three children and live on a turkey farm in central Iowa with their cat, Snuggles, and beagle, Charlie.