Matthew Burgess is a poet, professor, and children's book author. He teaches at Brooklyn College and is a teaching artist in New York City public schools. He is also the author of, among other titles, Enormous Smallness: A Story of E.E. Cummings; Drawing on Walls: A Story of Keith Haring; Make Meatballs Sing: The Life & Art of Corita Kent; and Sylvester's Letter. He lives with his husband in Brooklyn and Berlin.

The daughter of Thai immigrants, Sirin Thada was born and raised in Baltimore, and has been making art since childhood. Most recently, she was the in-house illustrator for Catapult magazine, and has been published in the Washington Post, Guardian, TIME magazine, and more. She currently lives and works in NYC along with her husband, scientific artist Jason Brougham, and their adorable rescue pup, Indie. The Purple One is her picture book debut.