The Caiman

About Maria Eugenia Manrique

About the Author María Eugenia Manrique is one of the girls portrayed in this story. She rode the caiman when she visited her family in San Fernando de Apure. She was born in Caracas Venezuela and currently lives in Barcelona Spain. She studied fine art in Mexico City specializing in xylography and engraving; Eastern painting at Nankín University China; and sumi-e and calligraphy at the Nihon Shuji Kyoiku Zaidan Foundation in Japan. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries in Venezuela Spain Mexico Colombia the United States Puerto Rico China Italy Argentina and Japan. In 2014 she won the Grand Prize in Eastern Painting at the International Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Exposition at the Anshan Museum in China. She has published four books on Eastern painting. The Caiman is her first childrens book. Ramón París was born in Caracas Venezuela and as a child lived in Barinas a plains state like Apure where he also heard the story of the caiman. He currently lives in Barcelona Spain. His first book for children Un abuelo sí was followed by Un perro en casa Estaba la rana and most recently Duermevela which was selected for the Bologna Book Fair Illustrators exhibition. His books have been recognized with honors including Los Mejores del Banco del Libro; the IBBY Honour List; Fundación Cuatrogatos; and White Ravens and have been translated into Chinese Portuguese French Catalan Korean German and now English. He works to create a unique atmosphere for every story he illustrates because each one speaks to him in a different voice. Amy Brills fiction and nonfiction have appeared in numerous publications including the Washington Post Medium Real Simple Oprah.com and One Story. Her first novel The Movement of Stars was published by Riverhead Books in 2013. A native New Yorker Amy grew up in Corona Queens and currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.