Matthew Burgess is a poet, educator, and the author of many children's books, including Drawing on Walls: A Story of Keith Haring, The Bear and The Moon, Sylvester’s Letter, and most recently, As Edward Imagined: A Story of Edward Gorey in Three Acts and The Purple One: A Story of Prince. Matthew edited an anthology of visual art and writing titled Dream Closet: Meditations on Childhood Space, as well as a collection of essays titled Spellbound: The Art of Teaching Poetry. More books are forthcoming, including: Words With Wings and Magic Things (March 2025), and Fireworks (May 2025). An Associate Professor at Brooklyn College, Matthew was a poet-in-residence in New York City public schools for many years and he currently serves as a senior editor of Teachers & Writers Magazine.