In 1959, Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton co-created the timeless and beloved song "Puff, the Magic Dragon." Peter Yarrow’s career has spanned more than four decades. As a member of the renowned trio, Peter, Paul, & Mary, he has earned many gold and platinum awards and numerous Grammys, as well as an Emmy nomination for his animated TV specials based on "Puff, the Magic Dragon." Among the many honors bestowed upon him, Yarrow is most proud of the Allard K. Lowenstein Award, which he received in 1982 for advancing the causes of human rights, peace, and freedom. Today, he frequently uses his musical and other artistic gifts to convey a message of humanity and caring. In an effort to combat school violence, Yarrow started Operation Respect in 2000, a program that teaches tolerance and respect to children in schools and camps. Lenny Lipton is the inventor of the modern 3D projection system used in cinemas worldwide. He is the author of four books on motion picture technology and received an award from the Smithsonian for his invention.

Eric Puybaret was born in France, and graduated from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Puff, the Magic Dragon was his first American book, and he also illustrated Sterling's The Nutcracker, written by John Cech.