Antonio MartelloAntonio Martello grew up in the Arthur Avenue/Belmont/Fordham section of the Bronx, New York, right across the street from the Bronx Zoo. His upbringing inspired many of the characters in his book. It was a different time when respect meant much morethan it does today. Antonio went through the local public schools system, and Public School 32 is where he first received strong encouragement and support in writing, from his fifth-grade teacher, Paula McCrudden. She assigned the class to write a mystery story. She liked Antonio's story so much she entered it in a contest, and it won. It was featured and published in a college newspaper. That assignment and its effects still resonate with An- tonio today. Miss McCrudden's belief in him will never be forgotten and is one of his major reasons for writing. Switching from public school to Saint Helena's High School, a Cath- olic high school in the Bronx, was equally inspiring. Antonio's classes with his history teacher, Mr. Stork, regarding current events and world history piqued Antonio's interests and made those subjects his life's pas- sion, a passion that is reflected in his writing today. Read More Read Less