Joyce Grant is a freelance journalist and children’s author. She created the popular website Teaching Kids News and has given hundreds of presentations at schools and libraries. She is also the author of the Gabby picture book series and two middle-grade novels. Joyce lives with her family in Hamilton, Ontario.
Rochelle Strauss is an award-winning author of non-fiction children’s books, including the global bestseller, One Well: The Story of Water on Earth. Through her work, Rochelle combines her love of nature and passion for stories to teach children about the wonders of the natural world. She lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario.
Mike Shiell is a cartoonist, animator and author/illustrator. He is the creator of the animated short films, Melon Shorts and the Wandering Melon web comics series, as well as the illustrator of the Gross Science book series (written by Edward Kay). As a longtime animation director, Mike also directed a number of children’s TV shows, such as the Emmy Award-winning The Backyardigans and Mike the Knight. He lives in Georgetown, Ontario.
Edward Kay is an award-winning author and screenwriter for both children and adults. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.
Natasha Donovan is an award-winning illustrator originally from Vancouver, British Columbia. She is a member of the Métis Nation of British Columbia. Natasha now lives on a tiny farm along with several wonderful creatures — both of the human and the nonhuman variety — in Deming, Washington.
Ashley Spires is the author and illustrator of many books including the bestselling The Most Magnificent Thing, now an award-winning animated short film; and The Binky The Space Cat series, currently in its second season as an animated TV series called Agent Binky. Her book Small Saul was selected for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s TD Grade One Giveaway and was given to over half-a-million children. She is a drinker of tea, eater of candy and fosterer of cats. Ashley lives just outside Vancouver, British Columbia with her dog and far too many felines.
Darren LeBeuf lives with his wife and two kids in Vancouver, the city that inspired his first published book, My Forest is Green. Darren started his creative career as an exhibit designer at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta. As well as being an acclaimed children’s book author, he is also a family and wedding photographer. My City Speaks is the third book in his series with illustrator Ashley Barron.
Ashley Barron is a multimedia artist who is best known for her intricate paper collage work. She is the illustrator of several children’s books, including Birthdays Around the World, Love You Head to Toe, and a series of books with author Darren LeBeuf. In 2017, Ashley was the Toronto Public Library’s Illustrator in Residence, a program organized by IBBY Canada.