Chryssa Atkinson is the author of Lindsey. She grew up in California, where she spent much of her childhood trying to explain why she shouldn’t get in trouble for brilliant schemes that didn’t work out the way she thought they would. She lives near Chicago with her husband, two children, and the world’s hairiest dog.

Sarah Masters Buckey is the author of three American Girl Mysteries—The Light in the Cellar: A Molly Mystery and two Samantha mysteries, The Curse of Ravenscourt and The Stolen Sapphire. She lives in Hanover‚ New Hampshire.

Mary Casanova is the author of Jess, featuring American Girl's 2006 Girl of the Year character. She is the award-winning author of novels for middle-grade and young adult readers, including When Eagles Fall, Wolf Shadows, Moose Tracks, Riot, Stealing Thunder, and Curse of a Winter Moon. She lives near International Falls‚ Minnesota.

Evelyn Coleman wrote the American Girl Mystery, Shadows on Society Hill: An Addy Mystery. Her many other titles include the award-winning children's books White Sox Only and The Riches of Osceola McCarty, as well as the adult mystery, What a Woman's Gotta Do. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ann Howard Creel is the author of Nicki and Thanks to Nicki, which feature American Girl’s 2007 Girl of the Year. She has written two previous books for American Girl: A Ceiling of Stars, which won the 1999 Pleasant T. Rowland Prize for Fiction, and Nowhere, Now Here, a book about raising alpacas. Her first book, Water at the Blue Earth, won the Colorado Book Award in 1999, and the more recent Under a Stand Still Moon was named a 2006 Notable Trade Book by the National Council for Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council.

In addition to her books for young readers, Ms. Creel also writes for adults. Her first adult fiction book, The Magic of Ordinary Days, was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie. She grew up in Texas but now lives in Colorado, where she writes in the evening and is a school nurse during the day.

Kathleen Ernst is the author of several American Girl Mysteries, The Runaway Friend: A Kirsten Mystery, Secrets in the Hills: A Josefina Mystery, and two Kit mysteries, Danger at the Zoo and Midnight in Lonesome Hollow. Her young adult novels include Retreat from Gettysburg, winner of the Arthur Tofte Juvenile Fiction Book Award. She lives in Madison‚ Wisconsin.

Alison Hart has written more than 20 books for children and young adults, including A Spy on the Home Front: A Molly Mystery. She was nominated for the 2000 Edgar Award for Best Children's Mystery for her novel Shadow Horse. She lives in Virginia with her husband, two children, and three horses.

Elizabeth McDavid Jones wrote the American Girl mystery, Peril at King's Creek: A Felicity Mystery. She lives in Greenville, North Carolina, with her husband and five children.

Amy Goldman Koss wrote Kailey, featuring American Girl's 2003 Girl of the Year character. Her other books include The Trouble with Zinny Weston and The Ashwater Experiment, a School Library Journal Best Book of 1999. She lives in Glendale, California, where she is a full-time writer.

Dr. Lynda Madison is the author of The Feelings Book and is a coauthor of What I Wish You Knew. A licensed psychologist and the director of family support and psychological services at Children’s Hospital in Omaha‚ Nebraska‚ Madison is also the author of Parenting with Purpose and Keep Talking: A Mother-Daughter Guide to the Preteen Years. She lives in Omaha.

Megan McDonald is the author of the Julie books in the American Girls historical fiction series. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Oberlin College and a master's degree in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh. Before Megan became a writer, she worked in museums, libraries, and bookstores. She has also made a living as a storyteller and a park ranger. She lives with her husband in Sebastopol, California.

Connie Porter wrote the Addy books in the American Girls historical fiction series. She has written two adult novels, All-Bright Court and Imani All Mine. All-Bright Court was selected by the American Library Association as one of the Best Books of 1991. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Janet Shaw is the author of the Kaya and Kirsten books in The American Girls Collection. She has published two books of poetry‚ a collection of short fiction‚ and an adult novel‚ Taking Leave. Her short stories have also been published in magazines‚ including The Atlantic Monthly‚ Redbook‚ and McCall’s. She lives in Asheville‚ North Carolina.

Valerie Tripp wrote all the books in the Felicity, Josefina, Kit, and Molly series and three of the books in the Samantha series. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and has a Master’s of Education degree from Harvard University. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Laurence Yep, the author of Mia and Bravo, Mia!, has written more than 60 books, including Newbery Medal Honor Books Dragon Wings and Dragon’s Gate. Other titles include Child of the Owl, Angelfish, Star Fisher, and Later, Gator.