LaVon Bridges, living in Anchorage, Alaska, is employed by the Anchorage School District as a Bilingual/Multicultural Specialist. She hold a Bachelor of Science in Music Education, with majors in Music and English, and a Master of Arts in English, with a major in Creative Writing and a minor in Literature. LaVon also holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University or Oregon. She has served as an educator in places as far away as Beirut, Lebanon, but for the last 18 years she has worked with English Languages Learners (ELLs) and staff in the Bilingual Education Program in Anchorage. Together with coauthor, Alice Wright, they taught bilingual children at North Star School, Anchorage, Alaska. Since the goal was to teach oral and written English to these English as a Second Language students, LaVon and Alice took turns writing chants or poems, which students learned orally. Subsequently they learned to read, using these poems and chants.

Alice Wright graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a minor in Music. She received a Master of Arts in Special Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Alice's teaching assignments have included regular classroom, orchestra, bilingual, and special education. She is a violinist, having played in Shreveport Symphony, Anchorage Symphony, and Anchorage Civic Orchestra. Together with coauthor, LaVon Bridges, they taught bilingual children at North Star School, Anchorage, Alaska. Since the goal was to teach oral and written English to these English as a second Language students, LaVon and Alice took turns writing chants or poems, which students learned orally. Subsequently they learned to read, using these poems and chants.