Melissa Savage is a child and family therapist and children’s book author. Savage combines her knowledge of how children approach and cope with difficult experiences, such as loss, with adventure and myth. Savage has written since she was seven years old, and all of her stories contain a mythical element like Bigfoot, aliens, or the Loch Ness monster. Savage also founded the Tobin Scott Foundation, an organization that supports children dealing with illness or loss by helping them process their emotions through writing. The Tobin Scott Foundation was named after Melissa’s son Tobin, who died during childhood. In Lemons, Tobin is also the name of Lemonade’s new friend and partner in adventure.

Lemons takes place in 1970s America after the Vietnam War, which took place from 1955 to 1975. The war between North and South Vietnam also involved the Soviet Union and the United States, which each supported a side and fought one another by proxy of the Vietnam War. Massive protests surrounded the war, as many viewed it as unnecessary, brutal warfare. Further, a draft was instated, and thousands of American men were sent to war involuntarily. While serving in the war, many of these men were ordered to commit acts that did not align with their morals, and many were captured and made prisoners of war.