Verna Aardema (USA, b. 1911) is widely known as the premier reteller of African folktales for children. Her numerous award-winning picture books include Traveling to Tondo, an American Library Association Notable Book that School Library Journal called "the kind of story children love...perfect for reading aloud" (starred review); Borreguita and the Coyote, a Redbook Best Children's Book of 1991 hailed by The Horn Book as "a book to remember...and to share with a variety of audiences" (starred review); and Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon, which won the 1976 Caldecott Medal.

Ms. Aardema and her husband live in Fort Myers, Florida.