Vera Brosgol was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1984 and moved to the United States when she was five. Her books include the graphic novels Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared, and the 2017 Caldecott Honor picture book Leave Me Alone! She drew storyboards for the animated films Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Boxtrolls. She lives with her dog, Omar, in Portland, Oregon, where she puts all kinds of things into jars every summer.