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← Back to all Aaron Asis Illustrator He/Him Philippines, Southeastern Asia Aaron Asis is a Filipino illustrator, best known for his expressive brushstrokes. His works have earned recognition from the Philippine Board on Books for Young People and the Society of Illustrators. He draws inspiration from childhood, nature, and everyday life. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @aaronasis BOOKS BY Aaron Asis The Language Of Flowers View book

← Back to all Anastasia Suvorova Illustrator She/Her Russia, Eastern Europe Anastasia Suvorova is an award-winning children’s book illustrator from St Petersburg, Russia. She is the 2018 winner of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Silent Book Contest. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @chaosego W: https://chaosego.com BOOKS BY Anastasia Suvorova Shadow View book

← Back to all Amariah Rauscher Illustrator She/Her Northern America, USA Amariah lives in Illinois with her family. She holds an MA in Communication. She is the illustrator of the popular Princess Truly series. When she isn’t painting, Amariah can usually be found reading a book. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @amariahrauscherillustrator W: https://www.amariahrauscher.com BOOKS BY Amariah Rauscher Sunday Rain View book

← Back to all Arielle Dance Author She/Her USA, Northern America Arielle Dance, PhD is a Black queer advocate for invisible illnesses currently residing in New Jersey. Through her writing and advocacy, Arielle helps promote disability visibility, recognize inclusive family structures, and navigate grief and loss. Q&A Tell us something interesting about yourself: I am a tap dancer, but not sure I'm that good. Tell us your favourite medium for reading: Print and audio. Tell us your favourite location for reading: I love reading on our couch, lying on the chaise. How would you describe your identity? Black queer woman with invisible disabilities. Book title: Dearest One What inspired your creative process in writing or illustrating your book? This book is in memory of my grandmother who died from breast cancer when I was 16. Favourite character or moment from the book – and why? The child. What themes or messages does your book raise? Ancestry, loss, encouragement, advice, nature. How would you describe your artistic or writing style in three words? Poetic, affirmations, letters. What aspect of the story did you most connect with, and how did it shape your illustrations? Turn your face to the sun. Somehow Jenny captured my words so beautifully in her illustrations. Favourite illustration – and why? Turn your face to the sun. Somehow Jenny captured my words so beautifully in her illustrations. Connect IG: @DrDanceWrites BOOKS BY Arielle Dance Dearest One View book

← Back to all Ashok Banker Author Ashok Banker is the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of over 63 books which have sold over 3.2 million copies in 21 countries and 61 languages. This is his debut picture book. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @ashokkbanker W: https://www.ashokkbanker.com/ BOOKS BY Ashok Banker I Am Brown View book

← Back to all Anna Cunha Illustrator Brazil, Southern America Anna Cunha is an award-winning Brazilian artist who has illustrated more than 20 books for Brazilian and international publishers. Her work has been shortlisted for the Jabuti Prize and received a João-de-Barro Prize honourable mention. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @anna_cunha W: https://annacunha.com BOOKS BY Anna Cunha A Story about Afiya View book Anita and the Dragons View book Maybe You Might View book

← Back to all Jen Khatun Illustrator She/Her UK, Northern Europe Jen Khatun is a children's book illustrator cosily living by the coast of East Sussex in the UK. Her work resonates the hidden magic in everyday life and the close bonds between people, nature, and memories. Q&A Tell us something interesting about yourself: In my mind, Autumn would be everyday. Current job title: Freelance Illustrator. How would you describe your identity? I am British Asian of Bangladeshi heritage. Tell us your favourite medium for reading: An old-fashioned book from the shelf, where I can flick the pages and smell the scent of pages and ink. Tell us your favourite location for reading: I love to read on my sofa, nestled with pillows, a hot cup of tea near and my dog next to me. Book title: The Hat Full of Sea by Maudie Smith. What inspired your creative process in writing or illustrating your book? The story itself is beautiful and poignant — this helped me create and landscape the imagery with illustrative cues that can help resemble those themes. Incorporating nature and facial expressions allowed me to create that connection between the characters. Favourite character or moment from the book – and why? I love the connection between Cora and her Grandpa. I have many favourite moments from the book, but I do love when Cora brings the sea to Grandpa. The waves, the seagulls, and the movement from her hat are depicted so well with the text — you can almost hear waves and seagulls! What themes or messages does your book raise? For me, The Hat Full of Sea touches on the meaningful message of bringing joy, care, and celebration to those who need uplifting from situations that may make them feel stuck. How would you describe your artistic or writing style in three words? Playful, heartfelt, and vibrant. What aspect of the story did you most connect with, and how did it shape your illustrations? I connected very strongly with the whole concept of the story. It reminded me of when my Dad was in hospital when he was very ill. So I poured a lot of my own experiences and emotions into the illustrations. It was a very beautiful way for me to express my feelings through it and did make me feel happy and sad at times. The experience was overwhelming with many emotions, but also so healing too. Materials and techniques used for this book’s illustrations: To create the artwork, I used Adobe Photoshop and my Wacom Tablet. Favourite illustration – and why? I do love the front cover! The colours are so vibrant and I love Cora and Grandpa together. It shows a great display of affection, and the waves in the background are beautifully placed to give a real feeling of the book. Connect IG: @jenkhatun BOOKS BY Jen Khatun Melody Queen View book Starlet Rivals View book A Hat Full of Sea View book My Must-Have Mum View book

← Back to all Jo Loring-Fisher Illustrator UK, Northern Europe Jo Loring-Fisher is an author-illustrator who lives in the beautiful city of Bath, England. She holds an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art. She is the author and illustrator of Taking Time and illustrator of Maisie’s Scrapbook . Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @joloringfisherillustrates W: https://www.joloringfisher.com BOOKS BY Jo Loring-Fisher Maisie's Scrapbook View book Rainbow Hands View book Taking Time View book

← Back to all Jane De Suza Illustrator She/Her India, Singapore, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia Jane De Suza lives in Singapore and her work takes on difficult issues through humor. She’s written over 11 books for children and adults, and numerous stories in anthologies. Q&A Tell us something interesting about yourself: I change the names of all my characters after the story is written. How would you describe your identity? An Indian woman writer, living in Singapore, who writes funny books about serious things. Tell us your favourite medium for reading: Paper books. Tell us your favourite location for reading: Curled up in bed, dark room, golden glow of a nightlamp. Book title: Flyaway Boy. What inspired your creative process in writing or illustrating your book? This book starts with the lines: ‘Everyone lived in boxes. They just didn’t know that.’ I was a child who had to try to fit into the expected boxes, it wasn't who I was. I see others today who think or speak or act differently. I wanted to write this book to help everyone understand children who are different, who are lost in their own heads sometimes and can't fit in. Not just understand - I wanted their wild, crazy minds to be celebrated. I wanted those who read the book to understand that there are more ways than one of being fabulous. I've tried to write the book in the way Kabir's mind goes - a non-linear hopping between topics, leaving a linear narrative to wonder over something that no one else has even noticed. Favourite character or moment from the book – and why? Kabir, the main protagonist, is the character closest to my heart. He exemplifies the innocence of a child. Though he is wired differently and not following the norm gets him into trouble, he isn’t ready to change it. He carries an optimism about his own beautiful world and he follows his offbeat thinking into whichever situation it takes him. I am particularly grateful for those who got back to me (after the book’s first publication in India) saying they were a Kabir themselves. The spots in the book I re-read are those that offer an insider glimpse of how Kabir thinks. Of how he follows a straight line that he is supposed to draw on his page zigzagging across the school instead; of how he imagines the G he got in his score turning into Gluttinous Globulous under his bed; of how his teacher’s bindi sends him off on an imaginative spree. What themes or messages does your book raise? Looking for the commonality in differences. Empathy. Neurodiversity. Creative thinking. Stereotyping. The power of a child's unchecked imagination. Kindness to animals. How would you describe your artistic or writing style in three words? Funny. Sensitive. Conversational. Favourite illustration – and why? When Kabir drops curry on the tablecloth, the stains inspire him, so he scatters some more, and connects them into a story. He is delighted with his story but his mother only sees that a ruined tablecloth. I sketched out this curry-stain story because it's so very "child" until they grow up and grow more practical. Connect IG: @janedesuza FB: @Jane De Suza Gopalakrishnan BOOKS BY Jane De Suza Flyaway Boy View book

← Back to all Jenny Duke Illustrator UK, Northern Europe Jenny Duke picked up her sketchbooks and followed her dream after a career working in schools and museums. She has an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art, and has participated twice in the Bologna Ragazzi Illustrators' Exhibition, Italy. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @jennydukeillustrator W: https://www.jennyduke.co.uk BOOKS BY Jenny Duke Dearest One View book

← Back to all Jennie Poh Illustrator UK, Malaysia, Northern Europe, Southeastern Asia Jennie Poh was born in England and grew up in Malaysia. She studied Fine Art at The Surrey Institute of Art & Design as well as Fashion Illustration at Central St. Martins. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @jenniepohillustration BOOKS BY Jennie Poh The Pirate Tree View book

← Back to all Carmen Vela Illustrator Spain, Hong Kong, USA, Southern Europe, Eastern Asia, Northern America Carmen Vela is an independent art director, designer and illustrator from Spain. For over a decade she has been living between Hong Kong, Brooklyn and Europe, fuelled by her love of books, paper and stories. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @carmen_vela_ W: https://carmenvela.com BOOKS BY Carmen Vela Escape View book