Being Adopted, I Miss My Foster Parents, and The Visit were written and illustrated by the Herbert children, Stephanie, Stefon, Latisha, and Shaun.  Stefon and Latisha, ages seven and six when the books were written in 1990, are birth siblings who were adopted at ages six and five after being in foster care for three years.  Stephanie, who was seven years old when the books were written, was adopted at age six weeks.  All of the Herbert children have birth siblings.  Only Stefon and Latisha have periodic contact with three of their siblings.

The children each chose the subject matter of their individual book and the feelings they wanted to express.  Shaun, the oldest Herbert child, helped his brother and sisters draw the illustrations when they had difficulty showing action or proper body proportions.