Ryan T. Higgins (ryanthiggins.com) is an author and illustrator who likes the outdoors and cheese sandwiches. He is NOT a grumpy old black bear, but he DOES like making books about one—starting with the New York Times best-selling Mother Bruce, which received the E. B. White Read Aloud Award and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor. He also wrote and illustrated Hotel Bruce, BE QUIET!, Bruce's Big Move, We Don't Eat Our Classmates, Santa Bruce, and 1 Grumpy Bruce. Ryan lives in Maine with his wife and kids . . . and too many pets.