LAURA BURGES (Ryuko Eitai) is a lay entrusted Buddhist teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She lectures, offers classes, and leads retreats at the San Francisco Zen Center and at other practice places in Northern California. She is the abiding teacher at Lenox House Meditation Group in Oakland. Laura taught children for 35 years and now mentors other teachers.


MELISSA IWAI has illustrated over 30 books. From the time she was a little kid, she wanted to write and illustrate children's books. She used to staple paper together and make tiny books for her dolls. She lives with her husband and teenage son in a teeny, tiny apartment in Brooklyn, NY.