Randy Preston

Randy Preston (RandyPreston.com) is an African Native American (Piscataway) singer-songwriter, author, composer, educator, and storyteller. Raised in the UK, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, he developed an early love of the myths and legends surrounding him, including the songs and stories of his own Piscataway people. He has spent the past several years collaborating with authors including Kwame Alexander, co-authoring, and narrating How to Sing a Song. The First Drum I Ever Heard is his debut as a solo picture book author. He lives in, writes about, and wanders the forests of his homeland known as Maryland.

Tamisha Anthony (TamishaAnthony.com)’s previous picture books include On Our Way, What a Day! (by JaNay Brown-Wood), Seoul Food (by Erin Danielle Russell), There’s No Place Like Hope (by Janet Lawler), and Most Perfect You (by Jazmyn Simon). She has taught for the New-York Historical Society and Make Art That Sells, and she writes and illustrates a column for UPPERCASE magazine.