James Dean

James Dean is a self-taught artist, author, and illustrator originally from Fort Payne, Alabama. He earned a degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University and worked for Georgia Power before pursuing art full time. Dean created Pete the Cat, inspired by his cat Pete, in the late 1990s and published The Misadventures of Pete the Cat in 2006.

In 2008, Dean partnered with Eric Litwin on Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, which Dean illustrated. He later began writing and illustrating Pete the Cat books with his wife, Kimberly Dean, and has helped create more than 70 titles in the series, including numerous New York Times bestsellers.