Even as a child, Nico Sternbaum loved drawing and making up stories. Together with his parents he explored South Africa among other places, and built himself an adventure-tree house in his grandparents’ orchard. After finishing school he studied at an arts academy, and today he is a successful illustrator and bestselling author. His books have been highly acclaimed by the media, and translated into other languages (including Chinese). Shake the Apple Tree was a Spiegel bestseller, and several of his books have been promoted and recommended by the German Reading Foundation. Nico Sternbaum lives in Wiesbaden.