Jean Ekman Adams was born in Illinois, the daughter of illustrator Stan Ekman. She grew up in his studio, hanging over the back of his chair, watching him create magazine covers for Saturday Evening Post and Collier's. After 30 years of exhibiting her paintings in national galleries, she finally turned to writing and illustrating picture books herself, something her father had always urged her to do. She spends the winters in Arizona and the summers in the mountains of Colorado, accompanied by four elderly rescued dogs, a Missouri saddle mule, and a homely but intelligent donkey.