Victor Hugo was born February 26, 1802, in Besancon, France. As a child, Hugo's family moved often because his father was in the military. Later, in his adult years, Hugo married and had four children. He worked as a writer and produced many plays, poems, and novels. He is considered one of the greatest French writers ... Read moreof all time. When Hugo died on May 22, 1885, two million people attended his funeral in Paris. Hugo was inspired to write The Hunchback of Notre Dame because Paris's famous cathedral was in bad shape. He wanted to draw attention to Notre Dame, and hoped that people would remember its beauty and work to repair it. L. L. Owens has written more than 45 books of fiction and nonfiction for young readers, including American Justice: Seven Famous Trials of the 20th Century. She enjoys reading great books, cooking, and listening to music. Ms. Owens lives in Seattle, Washington, and loves to explore the Pacific Northwest. Greg Rebis was born in Queens, New York, but mostly grew up in central Florida. After working in civic government, pizza delivery, music retail, and proofreading, he eventually landed work in publishing, film, and graphics. He currently lives and studies in Rhode Island and still loves art, sci-fi, and video games. Show Less