Eugene Yelchin grew up in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he trained as an artist and designed sets and costumes for the theater and ballet. His artwork has appeared in newspapers, magazines, and advertisements. He even drew the first polar bears used in the Coca-Cola commercials. He has also written and illustrated many children’s books. His first novel, Breaking Stalin’s Nose, received a Newbery Honor and was named one of the best books of 2011 by The Horn Book, and his novel The Haunting of Falcon House was a Golden Kite Award winner.