• My life has been a series of stories, and they have all taught me something. I taught Spanish for nearly 18 years and was able to keep the curriculum young and active, as the students were beginning something new. When I left teaching, I worked with many different immigrants from around the world who were learning English and adapting to a new culture and a new life. I had written all of my life, sometimes journaling, sometimes short stories, other times poetry. I taught English to some young Spanish siblings for several summers in a row and loved it. We did a variety of things, including reading. I always wished I had some of my own stories written down to share with them. I realized I could write picture books in English and Spanish not only for the children of native speakers of the languages but also for language learners. I love writing and hearing the stories from parents and grandparents about how their young ones love the stories. I read to children at schools and am absolutely amazed and envigorated by their attention, question, and enthusiasm. I’m in love with writing, and I have so many more stories to tell!

• Ann (Ana in Spanish) Morris is a smalltown Iowa girl who still believes in magic and happy endings. She hasn’t always lived in Iowa. She has always been in love with learning, and her early teen years opened her mind to new cultures and ideas. She was highly involved in music activities and academics during high school and in college had the opportunity to study Spanish in Spain. She lived in Pamplona, Spain and attended the Universidad de Navarra twice while in college and met her first husband there. As he did not speak English, it became her third immersion course. Her son Mikel of Mommy and Mikel Go for a Walk (Basque for Michael) is from that marriage. Morris has close family ties with her additional family members, including grandchildren. She is also culturally active with the Latino community in the Des Moines, Iowa metro area, where she resides. She continues to expand her learning and awareness by learning other languages and about the cultures of the people she knows. She believes that communication in relationships is as important on the international scale is as important as on the individual level. She does what she can with what she has and refuses to give up when other people would close the door on hope.

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