Author and illustrator Deborah Kadair Thomas resurrects the funky spirits of the Crescent City by crafting distinctive cut-paper collages, an illustration technique she has used in many of her popular books. She has lived all over the South and earned her bachelor of arts at Louisiana State University. For more than 20 years, Thomas has worked with young students in the classroom in both traditional and Montessori settings. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.