When Marcus Cutler was a kid he liked to practice drawing by copying superhero comics. People would ask him what he was going to do for a real job when he grew up. He told them that he hadn’t decided, but he would either be the third baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays or an astronaut. Well, he was absolutely terrible at baseball, and never quite learned how to pilot a space shuttle. He kept drawing though, and with all that practice he ended up being pretty good at it. So now he does that for a job!#Marcus loves drawing kids’ books. His favorite things to draw are funny and weird characters doing funny and weird things. When he’s not making art, he likes to watch movies, cook breakfast and practice kung fu.#Marcus lives in Tecumseh, Ontario, with his wife and two daughters.~Twitter: @marcuscutler~Instagram: @marcuscutlerillo

Sebastiaan Van Doninck is an award-winning illustrator from Belgium. His clients include Penguin Random House, Thames & Hudson and Usborne Publishing. He is the illustrator of several picture books and the winner of Belgium’s 2015 Picturale Prize for the best Flemish illustrator.

Andrea Stegmaier was born in 1979 in Freiburg, Germany. When she was a kid, she wanted to become an alligator-catcher in Alaska. This lasted for a few months until her parents told her that there are no alligators in Alaska. Trying to find a new profession, she later went to university to study German, history of art and architecture. She had worked as an architect for ten years when she turned her passion for children’s books into her new career. Since 2018 she has illustrated several books for different publishers and loves every day filled with drawing and painting. Andrea lives with her two kids and her husband in Stuttgart, a busy town in the south of Germany.~Instagram: @andrea_stegmaier~Twitter: @andreastegmaier

France has loved drawing for as long as she can remember. In kindergarten, she used to wear out her crayons and refused to play with dolls. France loves nature and enjoys playing with shapes and colors. After a career as a landscape architect, she now devotes herself completely to illustrating playful worlds with a touch of humor. She has illustrated over ten picture books for children. France is originally from the Gaspé Peninsula, but now lives in Gatineau, Quebec, with her husband and their two lovely daughters. Every chance she gets, she goes back to her hometown to breathe the fresh air from the sea.~Facebook: @Francecormierillustration~Instagram: @francecormier

Kari Rust worked as an animation artist and art teacher for many years before stepping into the world of children’s books. She animated for video games, TV shows and movies, and has taught art to both children and adults. When her kids were born, she re-discovered how wonderful picture books are – each one has the potential to say so much with its own blend of images and words. Much like animation, picture books offer the opportunity to bring characters and stories to life. Making books is also a way to explore many interests and be curious, and of course, it’s a great reason to draw. Kari realized it was the opportunity she’d been waiting for!#When Kari was still a young kid she was inspired to become an artist by her mom’s cousin. He was a painter and also made fascinating miniature things, such as snow-covered cabins that lit up inside. Kari’s dad was an architect and her mom made art, so she and her brother never faced any disapproval when they both chose to go to art college after high school.#It’s hard to say when inspiration might strike, and Kari tries to be ready for it. A funny dog, a dried-up garden, an old photo or a childhood memory might spark an idea that she can wonder about and invent images for. Kari also loves to learn about discoveries in science that open new perspectives on life and the universe. She is not a fan of slugs, but is trying to make peace with them.#A graduate of Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Kari lives in an old house in Vancouver with her son, daughter, animator husband and dog, Rolo.~Instagram: @rustikar