About the Brothers
David Knight
THE WRITER & ILLUSTRATOR
Dr. David Knight is a newcomer to the children’s publishing world, but he is not new to teaching kids. He holds a master’s degree from University of Colorado at Boulder in Education, taught middle school science, social studies, reading and Spanish for eight years, and coached basketball early in his career. He continued his education to earn a PhD and is currently a well-loved professor at Colorado State University, a published researcher, and an accomplished public-speaker. David is also a decorated member of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor’s Society recognized for his academic excellence during his time at Purdue University for his undergraduate studies in Spanish and Biology. Long before he entered the halls of academia and the classroom, David was writing his own unpublished collection of poetry and short stories for young readers. His sense of humor and wit weave together stories and poems that usually deliver a good-hearted message or a valuable life lesson, and they can almost always be counted on for a good laugh. David’s writing style with its oddities, sometimes made-up-words, and clever imagination are reminiscent of his childhood favorite, Shel Silverstein, and the lyrical genius of Walt Disney’s famed Sherman Brothers. If laugher, comedy, and positive messaging are traits that define David’s work, they are also traits that define David himself. Colleagues have dubbed him “Mr. Positivity” for good reason! He exudes a joy and love in all that he does, he’s a genuine people-person with a thirst for exploration, adventure and lifelong learning. He speaks English, Spanish and Chinese with aspirations to learn several other languages. He has traveled the world and lived overseas in Spain, the Philippines, Peru and China. He has also lived all across the United States. He was born in Massachusetts, moved to New York, then to Hawaii, California, Indiana and finally Colorado. He loves the hustle and bustle of city living but also recharges his proverbial batteries in the great outdoors, hiking and exploring national parks and coastal hideaways.
Bradford Knight
THE MUSIC
Cut from the same cloth as David and yet different in many ways, Bradford Knight is the more carefree brother, having dropped out of college to chase his dreams in California, before getting re-routed back to school by his professorial father. Bradford is fueled by fantastical dreams, surfing and music. In fact, he is even known to write music in his sleep, dreaming up melodies and rhythms, while he soars through the atmosphere and far-off galaxies of his slumber. Brad has a unique gift of turning the ordinary into extraordinary, continuously working at his craft, always seeking to improve and master it. He pours his heart and soul into his work, writing the melodies and playing and singing. He has recorded albums and licensed music for others. His debut album was Paddle Days which captures his love of surfing and the beach lifestyle. Then doing what some might call a 180 he released a country album, Surfer Gone Country, which earned him the affectionate nickname, "Surf Cowboy," and really opened him up to exploring other genres too. Because music is an art, it's written from a place of emotion and inspiration, which can evolve and change. Writing kids music is pure joy, allowing him to dance with his inner child, which really isn't that far from reach in the first place. His third album, released under the pseudonym Brada Brad, was a string of lyrical stories for kids called The Adventures of Manu on His Magic Island, which also inspired a cartoon series. It was a perfect transition into partnering up with his brother David to bring music to his clever stories and poetry. Together, they are a dynamic duo of creativity...a complimentary pair.