Bruce Degen is a children's literature author and illustrator, with over forty books to his credit. He is probably best known as the illustrator of The Magic School Bus series of books, by Joanna Cole. He has collaborated with Nancy White Charstrom on the popular Jesse Bear books, and the Caldecott Medal winning Commander Toad series by Jane Yolen. Degen has authored Jamberry, Daddy Is a Doodlebug, and Shirley's Wonderful Baby. He was encouraged by an elementary school teacher to become an illustrator, and pursue his primary love for art found in children’s books. Humor is one of his key values, as expressed by a quote comparing children's illustration to traditional fine arts: "You don't see many people walking around a gallery are chuckling. And I realized that I wanted a chuckle." His career has included such diverse activities as advertising design, teaching art to students, teaching children's book illustration to adults, painting scenery for opera productions, and running a lithography studio in Israel. Mr. Degen currently lives in Connecticut.