Margaret Read MacDonald is the author of more than sixty books, including Give Up, Gecko!, illustrated by Deborah Melmon, and Too Many Fairies, illustrated by Susan Mitchell. She has a PhD in folklore, as well as master's degrees in education and library science, and she travels all over the world to tell stories. She and her family spend much of their time on Guemes Island, watching tugboats at work, and once, they got to ride on a newly launched tug built in Anacortes, Washington. Learn more about her at www.margaretreadmacdonald.com.