Daniela Stamatiadi is a graduate of the Athens School of Fine Art. Since 2000, she has illustrated over 100 picture books for children. She has received many awards, including the Greek IBBY, the Greek Graphic Design and Illustration Award and the Peter Pan prize for best translated book from the Swedish IBBY for Sabelle’s Red Dress. She was also the Greek nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2014. Her first author-illustrator picture book, I Wanna! (Ikaros), and silent picture book, Every Ending Is a New Beginning (Patakis Publishers), were published in 2021; the latter was selected for the BRAW Amazing Bookshelf. Her third book with her own text, A Whole New Monkey, was created in 2024.
Magda Azab is an Italian-Egyptian graphic designer by training, illustrator by vocation. She likes to play with colours, graphic elements, irony, and lateral thinking. She has worked with clients from all around the world on a wide range of projects from editorial illustrations to animations, branding images and pattern design.
When she’s not sketching, or manipulating anchor points, she loves to cook, collect every kind of boxes and packaging, or spend time in her garden trying to be a city farmer.
Didier Cornille was a student of Claude Courtecuisse at the Lille Fine Arts School. He then joined Roger Tallon’s design department at the Arts Décoratifs in Paris. During his studies he met the designer Ettore Sottsass in Milan, who steered his work as a designer. He then turned to the creation of lamps, often in animal shapes, that he exhibits at the Neotu gallery.
After teaching design at the fine arts in Tunis, then in Tourcoing and at LISAA (Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués) in Paris, he taught design for a long time at Le Mans Fine arts School. Today, he devotes his time to his books and his work as a designer. He lives in Paris.
Phoebe Roze is an illustrator from the Scottish Highlands, currently based in Edinburgh. Often looking towards the landscapes, nature and folklore of Scotland to inspire her, a sense of place and playfulness are important elements within her work. Since graduating with a first class honours in Illustration, Phoebe has worked with many interesting organisations, including The Folio Society, Glasgow Children’s Hospital and Dundee City Council. When she isn’t drawing, she can usually be found out cycling on her bike or with her nose in a good book. Our Islands is first author/illustrator book.
Iris Samartzi was born in Athens, Greece. She studied Graphic Design and Interior Design & Architecture in Vakalo School, and graduated with a scholarship. She has attended seminars on child painting and drama in painting. She collaborated with Vakalo School as an assistant professor in Scenography courses, Product Design and Architecture Interiors. She has been working as a children’s book illustrator since 2004, and has been awarded by the Greek IBBY, the EBGE Design Awards, and the Greek National Book Prize. In 2016 she won the Compostela Prize for picture books for the book El último día (author: A. Papatheodoulou). She has been nominated twice for the H.C. Andersen Award (2020, 2022) and is also a nominee for the 2021 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. She teaches art to preschool children.
Pui Lee (also known as Scout Editions) is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator based in London. She is inspired by the everyday, ephemera, nature and travel. Her first book for children was published by Nosy Crow in 2024. As a branding, campaigns, product and packaging designer, Pui has worked with reputable global brands including Mulberry, V&A, M&S and The Body Shop.
