About the Author

Born on a kibbutz in Israel to pioneering parents, Raphael Block spent his boyhood playing on the hills of Haifa. Just before turning nine, his family moved back to England. Learning English shaped his ear for sounds, and the British climate and temperament fashioned his life over the next 25 years until he met and married an American living in London. In 1993 they moved to Northern California with their daughter. His partner died from cancer in 2002, and for the following years he feels it was his privilege to raise their girl. Raphael has worked with children of all ages for almost 30 years. He lives in an old apple orchard outside of Sebastopol, CA.