about the authors

PJ Sarah Collins enjoys learning to write for children and teaching part-time at Maple Grove Elementary School in Vancouver. She loves playing with her young son and with words (while he naps).

Kallie George, studying literature and art history at UBC, loves writing children's stories and poems. She has self-published three short novels: Mira and the Golden Rose, The Lucky Penny, and Santa's Snow Angels, as well as two poetry books: Poems, Please and By George! Poems.

Lauren Maggio is a student in the Masters of Arts in Children's Literature Program at UBC. She loves picture books and young adult novels.

Kimberly Mancini is finishing her BA in Creative Writing and Psychology this year. This is her first foray into children's writing, but now that she's started, she just can't seem to stop! She hopes kids everywhere think their grandparents are as magical and fun as she does.

Janice Lynn Mather is a Bahamian student majoring in Creative Writing at UBC. She enjoys writing fiction and poetry. Children's stories are her latest love.

Erin McShane is working toward her BFA in Creative Writing at UBC. She is currently working on a collection of adult short stories and on a children's novel.

Lisa OH! has been writing for children for over ten years. She enjoys taking her stories into classrooms whenever possible. She is currently studying Creative Writing at UBC. Her poems in Chameleon are taken from Little Child Blue: Rhymes for the Times, a collection of new and updated nursery rhymes.

Leslie Stark has been previously published in Fugue, Wreck and Kiss Machine. She has nearly completed her MFA in Creative Writing. She is a poet, a playwright, and a mom.

Lori Walker is working on her Masters of Arts in Children's Literature when she is not coordinating play dates for her two very social children. She has fond memories of other kids' houses, with the exception of those with overflowing litter boxes and big brothers who listened to Led Zepplin too loud.

Kari Winters is in the language and literacy department at UBC, completing the final months of her Masters thesis. Busy being a mom, a teacher and a researcher, Kari never considered being a writer until recently. Currently, she is enrolled in the Creative Writing Department's traditional children's writing class and is making time to write, read, and revise daily. "Jeffery's Wor(l)ds" is Kari's first published piece.

Shannon Woron is in her fourth year as a double major in Creative Writing and English Literature at UBC. "Sneaky The Sometimes Cat" is her first children's story. Shannon also enjoys writing adult fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.

about the illustrators

Oana Capota is originally from Transylvania. She has lived in Austria, China, Japan, and Taiwan. She now lives in Port Moody with a hamster called Anis¸oara.

Penelope Harris is a collage artist and writer who is intrigued by the place where word and image meet. She spends her time trying to live a creative, ethical life, and is most grateful for her constantly supportive and occasionally baffled husband.

Miriam Issa was born in Brazil and moved to Canada three years ago. She's always loved art, and she has a Bachelor's degree in Advertising. Lately, she's pursued an interest in children's books.

Krista Mason is an illustrator and Ghost Train Pumpkin Queen. A graduate of VCC's Jewellery Art and Design Program, her less permanent works of art can be seen every October in Stanley Park. Currently, she is working on a series of illustrations for Alfred Noyes' The Highwayman.

Simone Maxwell is an emerging illustrator and fine artist who also does pencil portraits. Her portraiture show in Vancouver last summer was held over due to an excellent review.

Yumi Sakamoto was born in Japan and attended the International School of Art in Kyoto. Yumi's goal is to illustrate books for children from all over the world.

Tami Thirlwell is a graduate of Langara's Display and Design program and holds a Fine Arts diploma. She is currently working on cartoon illustrations for a Political Science textbook and likes to play with watercolour paints in her spare time.

Bernadett Vary was born in Budapest, and now lives and works in Vancouver as a teacher / interior designer / artist and illustrator. She is bilingual, has a zest for life, a great sense of humour, and really believes in her art.

Sara Walker is an aspiring illustrator who lives in Vancouver. She loves reading, and has an enduring interest in the joys and pitfalls of childhood.

Nancy Walker's special interests include drawing figures, portraits, animals, and nature subjects.

Diane Yee is an illustrator and designer living in Vancouver, BC. She likes birds and dinosaurs.