Miller, Melanie Mathis: - Melanie Miller is a retired high school English teacher and the mother of three adult children, as well as a host of lazy dogs and cats which now populate her empty nest. In her free time, Melanie composes children's stories. Each story is a unique creation rendered in delightful metrical rhyme with a read-aloud quality loved by children and those who enjoy reading to the children in their lives. Her stories teach valuable lessons and have been employed by classroom teachers and even child therapists. Melanie hopes you enjoy reading But Gertie Garza, You're A Girl! as much as she enjoyed writing it!

Laffey, Karissa Miller: - Karissa Laffey is a native Texan and natural born artist who enjoys expressing her love and appreciation for the natural environment through her drawings and paintings. She creates the majority of her work using watercolor, gouache, and acrylic paints. Karissa is largely inspired by the beauty she experiences in nature. Her work utilizes vibrant colors, which amplify the striking features of the natural environment. Her vision is to draw people in using rich colors and inspire them to share her delight and curiosity for nature. This is Karissa's first project as a children's book illustrator. She is the daughter of the author, Melanie Miller, and looks forward to many years of creating with her mother. Karissa graduated from Texas A&M University in 2015 with a degree in marine biology. Presently, she is employed as a high school science teacher at Pasadena ISD in Texas.