Kelsey Kloss, Author. The creator of Malty the Blue Tiger, Kloss grew up in Central California learning Spanish as a second language, but quickly realized how few books included both English and Spanish text for language learners or bilingual families. The ones that did weren't very helpful for beginners, because there was no way to compare the vocabulary words from language to language. 

 

Kloss was determined to create a resource that would allow language learners to easily compare and remember vocabulary in two languages. She wrote Malty the Blue Tiger, about a tiger who learns to embrace her "roar!" (she also discovered as a child with a speech sound disorder how easy it is to feel self-conscious if you speak differently than others), to help kids learn language and celebrate their unique voices. Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual books are now found in countless homes and classrooms around the world. 

 

Kloss is a former national magazine editor, and her writing has reached millions of readers through more than 35 brands, including Reader's Digest, Good Housekeeping, ELLE Decor, Prevention, Oprah Magazine, CafeMom, and BOP and Tiger Beat. She currently works for Scholastic in New York City.

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Risa Horiuchi, Illustrator. Risa Horiuchi illustrates picture books, and especially loves drawing animals and children. In addition to drawing, she enjoys cooking, reading, playing with cats, and listening to music.

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Kim Fleming, Designer. Kim Fleming has always enjoyed creating visual content for children. Her artistry can be found in many different products such as games, toys, and greeting cards. However, her passion is for picture books, and she loves bringing children’s stories to life through engaging design and illustration for life’s youngest contributors.