Kate Hannigan used to work for daily newspapers, but now she writes fiction and nonfiction for young readers, digging up remarkable people from history and sharing their stories. Her work includes a middle-grade historical fantasy series, The League of Secret Heroes, the historical mystery The Detective's Assistant, and a picture book biography of Belva Lockwood, A Lady Has the Floor.

Alex Graudins is a Rhode Island-based cartoonist known for illustrating Science Comics: The Brain. She graduated from the School of Visual Arts' Cartooning program in 2016 and has since contributed comics to sites like The Nib and CollegeHumor. In her free time, she draws autobiographical comics about living with anxiety.

"Vibrant artwork and an engaging story make this a great vehicle for a poignant glimpse at American history."--Booklist

"Hannigan sticks closely to historical records in tracing the causes and course of the fire as well as the architectural and infrastructure improvements wrought in its wake and the fair's artistic and technological highlights. ...Graudins overlays the infodumps with small, intimate panels depicting period-clad people with appealingly open expressions (and, often, puppies in tow) in accurately drawn settings. A fictive plotline adds a strong "you are there" feel to this informative account."--Kirkus