Joe Cepeda received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Long Beach, and also studied Engineering at Cornell University. He is a fine artist, as well as an illustrator of more than thirty-five book jackets and picture books. Joe illustrated Hey, Hey, Hay!, iVamonos! Let's Go! and Swing Sisters. He both wrote and illustrated the I Like to Read books--Up and I Dig. Joe received an American Library Association Pura Belpre Honor and the Recognition of Merit Award from the George G. Stone Center for Children's Books. He lives in Southern California.