Rae St. Clair Bridgman, a Canadian anthropologist, author and artist, writes and illustrates picture books for young children and is the author/illustrator of The MiddleGate Books, a series of fantasy books for children inspired by the Narcisse Snake Pits of Narcisse, Manitoba -- The Serpent’s Spell (McNally Robinson Book for Young People finalist 2006), Amber Ambrosia, Fish and Sphinx (Speculative Literature Foundation Honourable Mention 2008) and Kingdom of Trolls (Moonbeam Children's Books Award 2011). The books feature the adventures of young cousins Wil and Sophie who live in the secret, magical city of MiddleGate, beset by the return of an ancient secret society known as the Serpent's Chain.