Dr. Robert Snyder earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in 1991, along with a commission as an Officer in the United States Army Reserve from Slippery Rock University (SRU) in Pennsylvania. He completed his Master of Education degree in Elementary Science and Mathematics in 1997 at SRU. In 2001, he received a Ph.D. in Instruction and Learning with an emphasis in Science Education from the University of Pittsburgh. He has taught two years as a 5th grade teacher at the North Penn School District, eight years a 6th grade teacher at the Moniteau School District, and is presently in his 16th year as a professor in the Elementary Education Department at SRU. Dr. Snyder has received the Pennsylvania Teacher Excellence Award and the SRU President's Award for Teaching Excellence. As an officer serving 15 years in the Army Reserve Military Police Corps, Dr. Snyder reached the rank of captain and served one year on active duty as a battalion operations officer for the 400th Military Police Battalion in Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. While in Iraq, his unit provided convoy security between Baghdad and Kuwait, operated seven prisons and jails in Baghdad, and developed training procedures for the Iraqi Police force. Dr. Snyder has received the Army Commendation Medal (while serving as a company commander) and the Bronze Star Medal for Merit (while serving in Iraq).
Ronald Himler was born in Cleveland Ohio. He received a degree in painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1960. He held several jobs as a commercial artist before quitting his job and going to Europe. Once there, he conducted independent research at the major museums, including the Louvre in Paris, the Uffizi gallery in Florence, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. In 1972, he illustrated his first picture book, Glad Day and Other Classical Poems for Children. He has illustrated more than 150 picture books for children including The Lily Cupboard by Shulamith Levey Oppenheim, Hook Moon Night by Faye Gibbons, and The Wall and Fly Away Home, both by Eve Bunting. He authored and illustrated several books including The Girl on the Yellow Giraffe and Wake up Jeremiah. He has won numerous awards including the Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators, The Christopher Award, the Parents Choice Gold Award, and a Children's Book Council Award. His oil paintings of Native American and western culture have appeared in fine art galleries across the country. His works have been featured in Art of the West magazine and on the PBS television program Arizona Illustrated.
