Madeleine Budnick is the author, series editor, and designer of the ArteKids books. Budnick got her start designing books twenty-plus years ago and has of late been getting involved in written content as well. She brings to the series a passion for the arts (she holds a degree in art history and drawing) and a commitment to creating books that aim to inspire and enrich a child's world. In addition, she is deeply committed to language education and celebrating cultural richness. Her two young daughters--who knowingly and unknowingly act as consultants on the project--are in a language immersion school. Creating books that combine all these interests makes Budnick's work for ArteKids as much like play as the law allows. She lives in Portland, Oregon.