John Miller spent much of his grade school years with a friend, tramping about the woods, lakes, rivers and swamps of Morris County, New Jersey. These adventures inspired his children’s books and articles about beavers, trout, starlings and other animals for many magazines.

Giuliano Cucco was an artist and illustrator. He and his wife died in 2006 when they were crossing a pedestrian crossing in Rome and were hit by a motor scooter.