Authors & Illustrators
Domenic Grego, Tom’s Space Adventure and NOW HIS NEW BOOK: The Spider Monster Visits Earth
Dom lives with a big imagination and with mild physical and cognitive impairments, which can make actual speaking difficult for him. Following the success of his first book, Tom's Space Adventure -a delightful story that resonated with all children and adults who’ve ever looked out at the stars - Dom has now joined with illustrator Arone-Ru Gumas to produce The Spider Monster Visits Earth.
In this new adventure, Tom and the spider monster, Ew, fly back to Earth. Ew finds Earth beautiful but confusing. She peaks spider monster language while everyone on Earth speaks human language. But Tom and Ew are pretty good at working out how to communicate, although eating spaghetti poses a few problems for a spider monster with eight legs.
Asta (formerly Holly) Brown, Milo and Angel and the shoe that ‘flewed’ and HER NEW BOOK" Milo and Angel at the Peach.
Asta Brown, using voice and performance rather than on-the-page writing, authored Milo and Angel and the shoe that ‘flewed’ as a testament to team work, family connections and having fun with people you care about. These are all aspects of life very dear to Holly. Now she's done it AGAIN!
Holly renamed herself Asta. Her new name and a new illustrator - Ellisha Gronlund - feature in Milo and Angel at the Beach. In this inspiring story, Milo and Angel have a problem to solve. They're lost in a magic mist. They have to use their super-powers to find their way out. But what are these powers? Milo and Angel team up with Ginger, their neighbour. Ginger is a cat and cats and dogs don't often work together. This time, they do it. They each find their super-power and bring them together to solve the problem of the mist and return to their parents and their day of fun.
Teo Tissue, Dora’s BIG Idea
Teo Tissue is well known to Netflix audiences for her part in the Grammy Award winning Love on the Spectrum (series 2). Teo lives in the Blue Mountains, although she began life in Romania, where she was orphaned and then adopted by her American family – Sandy, David and older daughter Avalon. The family lived in Texas before moving to Australia. Teo is an outgoing young woman living with autism and Crohn’s disease. She’s passionate about advocating for adoptees, people with autism and chronic illness. Dora’s BIG Idea is her first book. It’s a great adventure, based, in part, on her real life story.
Jaydin Cole, Saving Sam
Jaydin Cole is a visual artist who’s had successful exhibitions in the Blue Mountains. At only 24, he has authored Saving Sam because he is passionate about saving koalas. Jaydin has autism and faces literacy and attention challenges but is never short of ideas and interests. Saving Sam is a charmingly illustrated story with a subtle message about the importance of looking after our native Australians animals.
Arone-Ru (Aru) Gumas Lopez: The Spider Monster Visits Earth
Aru is a Chilean-Australia who loves creating colourful worlds. She has worked in universities, museums and community projects, learning how stories help people connect, imagine and grow. This is her first children's book project and she is delighted to work with Som and to fill the pages with curiosity, kindness and playful imagination.
Ellisha Gronlund: Milo and Angel at the Beach
Ellisha has wanted to illustrate books from a young age. She majored in drawing in her Graphic Design degree and works in interior design now. She loves to use colour to evoke feeling and engagement. A 'mum' to two border collies, she'd been sketching plenty of dogs when she started work on Asta's new book. "It was a pleasure and an honour to bring Asta's words and characters to life," Ellisha says.
Carly Boyd, Dora’s BIG Idea
Carly came to the Dancing Wombat workshops to volunteer for a few hours and ended up staying and becoming a full-on illustrator. Carly is currently studying art therapy and her illustration and interpersonal skills shine in the word she has done for Dora’s BIG Idea. Carly lives with her husband in the upper Blue Mountains.
Steven Ma, Saving Sam
Steven has had a stellar career in the corporate world. Now, still a young man, he is working a little less and turning his mind and his hand to writing and illustrating books for children. He, too, has generously donated his time and skills to illustrate Saving Sam. Steven has two young children for whom he has written and illustrated delightful books detailing moments in their lives. Steven is now encouraging his young daughter and son in creative pursuits.
Lucy Keirle, Tom’s Space Adventure
Lucy is a recent graduate of the prestigious National Art School in Sydney. She was the first volunteer to put up her hand and agree to illustrate a book for the Dancing Wombat workshops that resulted in Tom’s Space Adventure and the other three Rocking Boat books. Lucy is young, at the beginning of her career and very talented. Her whimsical style is sure to be seen in more publications in the near future.
Sarah Mares, Milo and Angel and the shoe that ‘flewed’
Sarah is a collaborator. She collaborated with author and illustrator, Holly Brown, on the drawings for Milo and Angel and the shoe that ‘flewed’. She has a history of both collaborating and volunteering her time, thoughtfulness and expertise to a range of projects advocating for people who are marginalised. Sarah is a child and family psychiatrist, mother and grandmother.