Melanie Conklin grew up in North Carolina and worked as a product designer before she began her writing career. Her debut middle grade novel, Counting Thyme, is a Bank Street Best Children's Book, winner of the International Literacy Association Teacher's Choice Award, and nominated to four state reading lists. She is also the author of Every Missing Piece, A Perfect Mistake, Crushed (2024), and her picture book debut, When You Have to Wait (2023). When she's not writing, Melanie spends her time doodling and dreaming up new ways to be creative. She lives in New Jersey with her family.

Leah Hong spent many of her childhood hours drawing stories, but it wasn't until she had children of her own that she became re-immersed in the world of picture books, and fell in love with them all over again. An art school graduate with a visual arts degree in painting, Leah has worked both as an illustrator and a graphic designer. Her lifelong love of making art and storytelling led her to create her picture book debut, Happy Dreams, Little Bunny. She lives with her family in Vancouver, British Columbia.

★"In a world fixated on instant gratification, Conklin and Hong make a persuasive case for the sense of joy and connection that can be found when we slow down. A relatable and beautifully rendered tale about the value of patience." --Kirkus, starred review

★"Conklin and Hong compassionately limn experiences of childhood longing in an emotionally honest picture book about one of life's truths: Sometimes, you have to wait." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This peaceful picture book is a kind reminder that it is okay to slow down and find beautiful ways to pass the time as you wait." --BCCB