Jamie (Schumacher) Kalakaru-Mava traded the warm beaches of California for the snowy lakes of Minnesota. She found art, community, and more.By day she works with Minnesota's creative and cultural districts. By night she's a visual artist and writer. The daughter of two immigrants from two very different countries, she weaves themes of culture and community into her work.

Jamie's writing has been featured in Pollen, the Star Tribune, and MN Women's Press. Her two prior books are creative nonfiction works that highlight Minnesota communities, and her murals and visual art can be seen throughout the Twin Cities. Jamie is a Loft Literary Center Mirrors & Windows Fellow, and this is her children's book debut.