Authors & Illustrators

Emilio Urberuaga was born in Madrid in 1954. He began working in the world of illustration in 1982, and is the creator of the drawings for Manolito Gafotas, the character conceived by Elvira Lindo. He has illustrated all the books in the series, as well as other works by the same writer. Throughout his career…

From an early age, Hardy Hinrichs wanted to make the images of his imagination visible to everyone; be it with a pencil, a brush, a spray can or a graphics tablet. Today, he creates many small drawings or elaborate illustrations for small and large people. He would never have succeeded in such a huge project…

Martina Vogl, born in 1975, studied literature and art history in Munich. She and Sascha Mamczak both work in Munich publishing houses and regularly give talks for children and young people on the topics of ecology and the future. Together they have written the YA non-fiction books Es ist dein Planet – Ideen gegen den…

Sascha Mamczak, born in 1970, studied political science, economics and public law in Munich and Edinburgh. He is intensively involved with future issues and questions of intergenerational justice. Sascha Mamczak and Martina Vogl both work in Munich publishing houses and regularly give lectures for children and young people on the topics of ecology and the…

In her early years, Iris Genenz was head of a secret service centre, rock star and ruler of an entire kingdom. Then she grew up and was supposed to learn something “proper”. After studying to become a social pedagogue and working in various youth welfare services, she now works at a primary school where she…

Petra Bartoli y Eckert lives near Regensburg in Bavaria. She studied social education and worked for many years with children and young people with behavioural problems. She has always loved stories – in books, on TV, on the radio or made up herself. That’s why she took a different path in 2008: After training as…

Giulia Orecchia, born in Turin in 1955, is one of Italy’s most prolific illustrators. She lives in Milan and has illustrated books from Italo Calvino to Andrea Camilleri, from David Grossman to Luigi Malerba and was awarded the Premio Andersen.

Heike Brandt was born in Jever in 1948 and grew up in Berlin. She was a co-founder of the Kreuzberg children’s bookshop. She has been a freelance translator, author and reviewer since 1986.

Hilary Jean Tapper is an illustrator and creative arts therapist. Her picture books include What To Say When You Don’t Know What to Say (by Davina Bell), ABIA Children’s Picture Book of the Year, 2023.

Harriet Grundmann, born in Berlin in 1969, grew up in Büsum among dikes and the cries of seagulls and now lives in Hamburg as an author and freelance artist. She has been writing stories for many years, which have been published by renowned publishing houses and translated into many languages. She also inspires adults and…

Yayo Kawamura, born in 1967, grew up between Germany and Japan. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, she moved to Berlin where she studied communication design and now lives with her family. She has been working as a children’s book artist since 2001 and has developed and illustrated over 100 books, games and nonbooks….

Clemens Bruno Gatzmaga was born in Düsseldorf and has lived in Vienna since 2010. He has worked as a digital expert, copywriter and journalist and is co-founder of an exhibition agency.

Ana Popescu is a French artist and illustrator. Born in Romania in 1988, she studied printmaking and drawing at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Her work has been exhibited in New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Ljubljana, Bergen, Grin Gallery in London and Vienna. Her clients include Google, Rimowa, Tylko, Zeit Magazin, M le Monde,…

Raúl Nieto Guridi was born in Seville, Spain, in 1970, the son of a draftsman and a painter, and trained at the Academy of Fine Arts of Seville. Early in his career he concentrated on painting and graphic design, but starting in 2010, he turned to illustrating children’s books, and has since written or provided…

Fran Pintadera was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 1982. He studied Social Education and Psycho-pedagogy. He is an oral storyteller, he tells stories as well as writes them, sometimes in that order, sometimes the other way around, and he is also a director of social theater. As a writer he has obtained…

As a doctor and researcher, -Dr. Johanna Klement knows her way around the body. But she enjoys researching exciting topics for children’s books just as much. She lives with her family in Lübeck and loves the sea. She also loves her body cells – but only if they are not too rebellious! johannaklement.de

Valeria Docampo finds inspiration for her illustrations in everyday life. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she also graduated in graphic design. Since 2003, she has devoted herself entirely to illustrating children’s books. valeriadocampo.com

John Millen Lasenby (9 March 1931 – 27 September 2019), commonly known as Jack Lasenby, was one of New Zealand’s most important children’s book authors. His novels and short stories earned numerous honours, including key awards and fellowships. After publishing his first novel, The Lake, he wrote dozens of books for children and young adults….

Tessa Sima, born in Vienna, began hercreative career at the age of seven when she built a robot that said swear words to her teachers. Many longer stays abroad in countries such as Iran, China, Estonia and Denmark have had a lasting impact on her world view and her work. In 2021 she graduated from…

Leopold Maurer, born in Vienna in 1969; studied sociology at the University of Vienna, studied painting and graphic arts at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Since 1998 freelance artist in the fields of animation, cartoon, comic and illustration. Lives and works in Vienna and Lower Austria.