James Cross Giblin has been a major figure in the field of children's book publishing since the 1970s. Not only has he edited the work of many important authors during his years at Clarion Books, but Giblin himself has written many nonfiction books for young readers. He has won awards and critical acclaim for his children's books, including Chimney Sweeps: Yesterday and Today, The Truth about Santa Claus, Let There Be Light: A Book about Windows, and Charles A. Lindbergh: A Human Hero. As Giblin once explained, "Nonfiction books for children aged eight to twelve [give] me the opportunity to pursue my research interests, meet interesting and stimulating experts in various fields, and share my enthusiasms with a young audience. I try to write books that I would have enjoyed reading when I was the age of my readers."

Giblin was born July 8, 1933, in Cleveland, Ohio. A shy...