Alayna Paquette is a graduate of the Natural Science Illustration program at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her work has included illustrations for several text books, the picture book Hope by Adam Eisenson, the cover of New Moon Magazine, and Rock Head by Brian Kure. In addition to her children's book illustrations, Miss Paquette is a prolific pet portrait artist. She has lived in Rhode Island, Texas, Georgia, and Washington D.C., and has visited almost every major national park in the United States. Her love of travel, animals, and nature are major influences on her art, and many of her illustrated characters are based on her own beloved niece and nephews, Lily, Sam, and Charlie. Miss Paquette enjoys drawing animals in unexpected scenes, such as a walrus having his tusks cleaned by a toothbrush-wielding little girl. Her media of choice are pencil, colored pencil and pen and ink, but she also sometimes works in watercolors and acrylics.