Dennis Messner grew up in rural Missouri but spent most of his time indoors, where it was easier to draw characters and make up stories. He’s worked as an ice cream truck driver, a vacuum cleaner salesman, a hospital janitor, a concert grip, a car wash attendant, a telemarketer, a bricklayer, a caterer, and a video production artist. Later, as a graphic designer, Dennis entered a Nickelodeon storyboard competition he saw in a magazine, which resulted in him creating an animated TV pilot. Since then, Dennis has created, written, and storyboarded many other animated projects for Disney, Cartoon Network, DreamWorks, and Nickelodeon, as well as illustrated a series of children’s books. Dennis lives in Los Angeles with his wife—also a transplant, but from Japan. Together, they enjoy traveling, reading, and drinking coffee.