Joel Schick has illustrated many iconic characters in nearly 80 children's books. His work appears in Sesame Street, Magic School Bus, and Muppets book series, among others. He first took an interest in an art career when working in a print shop while attending Roosevelt University. He started out designing books for the likes of Kurt Vonnegut and Barry Lopez before turning to children's book illustration in 1974. He has received many awards and honors, including the Caldecott Honor, a Wisconsin Golden Archer Award, and a New Jersey Book Award.