"I based the character of Isaac, the WDG-TV news anchor, on my own Old English Sheepdog. The real Isaac (left), was a beloved member of my family when my children were small. Tim Bowers, the illustrator of The Great Balloon Race, painted his likeness for the book from a variety of photographs. He really captured his many expressions. Tim, like me, is a dog lover, so we were happy to create a book which takes place in an all dog world!

Tim did a great deal of research before illustrating The Great Balloon Race. Here you can see him in his studio making three dimensional models of Molly, the meteorologist, and Jake, the camera dog.

He even took his family on a hot air balloon ride. Now that’s what I call getting into the story!”