Joan Schoettler’s writing demonstrates a global view as her stories traverse the world. Her focus of interest is inspired by true people, intriguing actual events, and the lived experiences of people from diverse backgrounds. The Honey Jar: An Armenian’s Escape to Freedom, her first middle-grade novel, received the California Book Award, Juvenile, Gold Medal Book 2024. Joan’s other picture books include Ruth Asawa: A Sculpting Life, A Home for George, and Good Fortune in a Wrapping Cloth. Joan earned a master of arts degree in reading and language from Fresno Pacific University. She taught children’s literature and storytelling at California State University, Fresno. Joan lives with her husband in California where they raised three sons. Her grandchildren continue to inspire her writing. Visit her at joanschoettler.com.

Helena Pérez García is a Spanish illustrator whose work has appeared across magazines, newspapers, packaging, and books for children and adults internationally. Her illustrations are conceptual, whimsical, and rich in detail and color. Helena’s primary medium is gouache, and her main sources of inspiration are art, literature, and cinema. After completing a fine arts degree in Spain, Helena relocated to London in 2012, where she lived and worked for six years. During this period, and driven by the artistic history and cultural influences of the city and the country, Helena developed her characteristic style. She relocated to Madrid in 2018, where she is currently based. Some of her clients include Penguin Random House, The Body Shop, Tate Publishing, The Financial Times, Reader’s Digest, and Il Corriere della Sera, amongst many others.