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← 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 John Agard Author Guyana, UK, Southern America, Northern Europe John Agard, born in Guyana and now resident in the UK, is a world-renowned poet and performer. He has won numerous awards including the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, the Smarties Award, the Paul Hamlyn Award and the Casa de las Americas Poetry Award. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @john__agard__ BOOKS BY John Agard Coyote's Soundbite View book

← Back to all Juan Palomino Illustrator Mexico, Central America Juan Palomino is Mexican artist and academic. Among his many awards are the fourth Iberoamerican Catalog of Illustration, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair International Illustration Award and a Golden Apple from the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @juanpalomino.illustrador BOOKS BY Juan Palomino Letters in Charcoal View book

← Back to all Katie Rewse Illustrator She/Her UK, Northern Europe Katie Rewse is a UK-based illustrator who has been shortlisted for the Batsford Prize and the AOI World Illustration Awards. She believes illustration can trigger positive change and she finds inspiration in the outdoors, travel and adventure. Q&A Tell us something interesting about yourself: I lived in my campervan for three years — I don’t any longer, but I miss those days! Current job title: Illustrator. How would you describe your identity? British — half English, half Welsh. Tell us your favourite medium for reading: Audiobooks whilst drawing. Tell us your favourite location for reading: The beach or my desk. Book title: The Wall and the Wild. What inspired your creative process in writing or illustrating your book? Spending time in nature to develop “the wild.” Favourite character or moment from the book – and why? Ana, for her resilience! How would you describe your artistic or writing style in three words? Playful, vibrant, and heartfelt. What aspect of the story did you most connect with, and how did it shape your illustrations? I love how Christina refers to community throughout the book as well as the environmental themes. Materials and techniques used for this book’s illustrations: Photoshop and collage materials. Favourite illustration – and why? When Ana climbs to the top of the wall and sees the wild garden growing for the first time — it was a lot of fun to play with weird and wonderful imagined plants! Connect IG: @katierewse FB: @katierewseillustration BOOKS BY Katie Rewse The Wall and the Wild 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 Krina Patel-Sage Author She/Her Krina Patel-Sage is an illustrator, author, and designer. Beginning her design career at a children’s publishing house in 2012, she developed a passion for illustrated non-fiction. In 2018, she was shortlisted for Penguin’s WriteNow illustration prize. Most days, you’ll find her in the local woods, spotting birds and fungi with her two young sons. Q&A Tell us something interesting about yourself: I love pottery, gardening and The Beatles! Current job title: Author, Illustrator, Designer. How would you describe your identity? British nationality, Indian heritage, London born and raised. Tell us your favourite medium for reading: Real books always. Tell us your favourite location for reading: Outside on a sunny day with my children around to listen. Book title: Watch Me Bloom and My Mindful A to Zen. What inspired your creative process in writing or illustrating your book? Both books were inspired by my children. I wanted to write something to help them navigate life’s challenges and take joy from their surroundings. Favourite character or moment from the book – and why? The image of the little girl watering a sunflower in My Mindful A to Zen means a lot to me. It represents the joy of nurturing and waiting for things to bloom! It’s a nice link to the next book Watch Me Bloom as well. What themes or messages does your book raise? Community, friendship, family, kindness, resilience, nature, and emotional wellbeing. The pages reflect a diverse society in which we live together in harmony. I also promote interaction with and appreciation of nature and the small things all around us that keep us present and grounded. How would you describe your artistic or writing style in three words? Vibrant, heartfelt, and relatable. What aspect of the story did you most connect with, and how did it shape your illustrations? I connected with the emotions felt by each character, which was reflected in facial expressions and body language. Materials and techniques used for this book’s illustrations: I used digital media, drawing with a Wacom pen in Photoshop. Favourite illustration – and why? I really like the cover illustration for Watch Me Bloom because the design with the child wearing flower glasses that made up the O’s in “Bloom” started as a tiny pencil sketch of an idea I had, and it was a lot of fun developing it into the final cover art. This book is the sequel to My Mindful A to Zen , so I love the fact that the same child appears on both covers but in ways that reflect each book individually. Connect IG: @krina_makes_books BOOKS BY Krina Patel-Sage My Mindful A to Zen View book Watch Me Bloom View book

← Back to all Kamee Abrahamian Author She/They Armenia, Canada, Northern America, Western Asia Kamee Abrahamian is a queer, feminist interdisciplinary artist, producer, and storyteller, born into an Armenian family displaced from the SWANA region. She lives on the traditional territories of the Anishinabewaki, Huron-Wendat, and Haudenosaunee, peoples, also known as Prince Edward County, Ontario. Q&A Tell us something interesting about yourself: Sometimes I want to quit everything and become a rug-maker :) Current job title: Interdisciplinary artist, filmmaker, curator, educator, community organizer, caregiver, and witch. How would you describe your identity? Queer, feminist, SWANA. Tell us your favourite medium for reading: Actual books! Tell us your favourite location for reading: In bed under my weighted blanket!!! Book title: The Brighter I Shine. What inspired your creative process in writing or illustrating your book? I originally wrote it as a poem, to inspire parents to talk to their kids about their child’s ancestry. Favourite character or moment from the book – and why? Anything by William Saroyan — when Mourad wakes up Aram in The Summer of a Beautiful White Horse — in the short story collection My Name is Aram. What themes or messages does your book raise? It’s important to talk to our kids about our ancestral stories, so we know where we come from and what had to happen for us to get here! How would you describe your artistic or writing style in three words? I’m actually unsure. Maybe poetic, visionary, intimate? What aspect of the story did you most connect with, and how did it shape your illustrations? The ancestral and cultural textures, I think! I didn’t illustrate. Materials and techniques used for this book’s illustrations: N/A. Favourite illustration – and why? The image of the child and their mother sitting in the field of wildflowers. It’s pretty much where I want to be at all times, and I know my own child feels the same way. We both come alive in the mountains. Connect IG: @29cents BOOKS BY Kamee Abrahamian The Brighter I Shine View book

← Back to all Maryam Al Serkal Author UAE, Western Asia Maryam is an Emirati writer who is passionate about storytelling. She lives in Dubai with her husband and two children who inspire her stories. This is her first picture book. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @themaryamwrites BOOKS BY Maryam Al Serkal Mira's Curly Hair View book

← Back to all Maudie Smith Author She/Her UK, Northern Europe Maudie Smith writes humorous and touching stories for children aged 2 to 12 including popular title, My Must-Have Mum . She has an MA in Writing for Young People and lives in a village near Bath. Q&A Tell us something interesting about yourself: I was the worst knitter in school. But now I make excellent knitwear! How would you describe your identity? Nottingham girl, born and bred in the East Midlands, now settled in the West Country. Tell us your favourite medium for reading: Paperbacks are my favourite. Tell us your favourite location for reading: In the hammock under a grape vine with blue tits flying by. Book title: My Must-Have Mum ; A Hat Full of Sea. What inspired your creative process in writing or illustrating your book? My Must-Have Mum : I'm always impressed when people use old objects and turn them into something new — be it a broken wheelbarrow or watering can repurposed as a planter, jeans pockets made into penholders, or suitcases made into cat beds. I wondered what might happen if someone took this to extremes, and what it might be like to be their little boy! A Hat Full of Sea : This story came from a visit I made to my mum in hospital; she was in a dingy room with just one high window and could see only a small square of blue sky. I didn’t think that was nearly enough, and I tried to think of ways to bring the outside world in for her. Cora, who visits her Grandpa Jim in hospital, feels that way too. She wants to bring him so much more than that square of blue sky — she wants to take him with her to the seaside. Once she realises Grandpa can’t go to the sea, she decides to bring the sea to him instead. Using the hat he gave her, she finds her own ingenious and imaginative way of bringing the outside world directly to her beloved Grandpa. Favourite character or moment from the book – and why? My Must-Have Mum : I like the moment when, after Jake spends time alone in “the prairies,” the grasses part and Mum reappears. It’s a great relief for Jake and it still gives me a little shiver each time I read it aloud. A Hat Full of Sea : I like Cora because she is so confident about the things she can bring to Grandpa Jim. I love the way she goes about collecting the sea in her little hat and carrying it to Grandpa. She has such a creative imagination and puts ideas into action straight away. Wish I could be more like her! What themes or messages does your book raise? My Must-Have Mum : Mum’s enthusiastic upcycling of all sorts of things triggers interesting conversations about reusing and recycling. The underlying theme of unconditional love prompts discussion about whether we would want to fundamentally change the people we love (spoiler: the answer is no, we wouldn’t!). Jake tells us that his mum is “not like most mums” because of her upcycling habit, but she is also different because she is in a wheelchair. This is clear from the pictures but never mentioned in the text, so it’s interesting to note how much or how little attention we pay to her disability when reading the story — and to have a discussion about what really makes Jake’s mum special. A Hat Full of Sea : Cora’s story gives us ideas of how we might cheer people up when they are ill or stuck in hospital. Cora shows how even young children can have a hand in making someone who is ill feel better, just by sharing the events of their own day-to-day life — telling anecdotes, doing drawings, writing stories, postcards or little notes, and just by being themselves. There’s also the opportunity to discuss how to represent emotions such as love in our own artwork. How would you describe your artistic or writing style in three words? Humorous, heartwarming, lyrical. Favourite illustration – and why? My Must-Have Mum : I like the spread where Jake lies in bed, looking around at all the things Mum has changed, and wonders if she might want to change him too! A Hat Full of Sea : I like the final spread when Grandpa’s love for Cora is released from his hat onto the page. How on earth do you draw “love”?! Jen depicts it with flowers, musical notes, hearts, leaves and butterflies. Love it! Connect IG: @maudiesmithetc BOOKS BY Maudie Smith A Hat Full of Sea View book My Must-Have Mum View book

← Back to all Melissa McIndoe Illustrator USA, Northern America Melissa McIndoe is an artist currently based in upstate New York. Her professional work includes children’s book illustrations for small publishing houses and independent creators. She has also made storyboards for animation. In her free time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her dog, hiking up mountains and drawing comics. Oh, and tea. Lots of tea. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @melissamcindoe BOOKS BY Melissa McIndoe Soni and the Life Drinkers View book Odwar vs. The Shadow Queen View book Mwikali and the Forbidden Mask View book

← Back to all Mattias De Leeuw Illustrator Belgium, Western Europe Mattias De Leeuw, known as the “Flemish Quentin Blake,” is a popular illustrator from Belgium known for his painterly drawings. His latest picture book has been named a Bachelder Honor Book 2024 by the American Library Association. Q&A Coming soon - watch this space! Connect IG: @mattiasdeleeuw BOOKS BY Mattias De Leeuw Azizi and the Little Blue Bird View book