Rita and the Firefighters

Mike Huber: Mike Huber has dedicated his life to serving children, families, and the field of early childhood. He has been an early childhood teacher since 1992 and currently teaches at Seward Child Care Center in Minneapolis. Mike has also worked as a trainer and consultant for the Minnesota Department of Education, the Child Care Resource and Referral Network, and the Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children (MnAEYC). Mike served on MnAEYC’s board from 2007 to 2011, presents at local and national early childhood conferences, and has written for Teaching Young Children and a number of stories, songs, and puppet shows for children. He is the winner of the 2012 Kate Davidson Tanner Award from MnAEYC, the Scholastic Early Childhood Professional Award, Honorable Mention in 2006, and Teacher Leadership from Hamline University, Master of Arts Education Program, 2006. Mike holds a master’s degree in education from Hamline University.

Joseph Cowman: Joseph Cowman is an Idaho native residing on the Monterey Peninsula in California. He is a long-standing member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the illustrator of a 2011 book series published by Moonshoot. Joseph has also worked on several e-book applications and works on toy and environment design.