L. (Lyman) Frank Baum was an American author and writer of children's books. He was born in Chittenango, New York, in 1856. Baum started writing at an early age; throughout his prolific career, he penned over fifty novels, eighty short stories, and two hundred poems. In 1900, Baum wrote his most successful work, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which he shared the copyright for with illustrator W. W. Denslow. The book quickly became a bestseller, and has inspired dozens of popular theater and film adaptations ever since.

John R. Neill was an American illustrator for newspapers and children's books. He is primarily known for illustrating the Oz books by L. Frank Baum, beginning with the second book of the series, The Marvelous Land of Oz. He continued to illustrate the series after Baum's death and eventually became the designated "Oz historian," even writing three books in the series. His illustrations enhanced Baum's writing, bringing characters and scenery to life.