Authors & Illustrators

Kary Lee received a BA in Communications from Washington State University in 1986 and and worked as an art director in Dallas, Texas, before embarking on a career as an illustrator. In her words, "It's not something I planned to do... illustration found me. It's what makes the rest of my world fall into place." Her books include, Dizzy (Stonehorse Publishing), Stan's Busy Day, Swoozy and Suzy, and Weed and Seed (Perfection Learning).

In 2003 she was a National SCBWI Portfolio Award winner in Los Angeles, California. Kary lives in Pullman, Washington with her three children and a big hairy dog!

To learn more about Kary and see her work, click on her picture to visit her website.

Stacy Nyikos is the author of numerous award-winning books for children. Her newest picture books are Toby (Stonehorse Publishing 2014) and Waggers (Sky Pony Press, 2014) - the story of a dog who tries to be good. Really! But his tail gets in the way.

Stacy holds an MFA in Writing for Children at Vermont College. When she isn’t being chased by stories, she’s chasing her kids – or her dog – in the wilds of Bixby, Oklahoma.

Stacy is currently working on a young adult novel about the true story two boys who canoed the Mississippi from Indiana to New Orleans – over 2,000 miles of paddling! – in 1939.

To learn more about Stacy Nyikos and her books, click on her picture to visit her website.

Shawn Sisernos studied art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His favorite medium is oil...watercolor...pretty much anything he can draw with. He has won acclaim as a fine artist as well as picture book illustrator.

To complete the illustrations, Shawn spends a lot of time studying his characters. “I have practically become one of the Shedd aquarium’s exhibits,” he says. “I get to know the character so well, I can draw him or her with my eyes closed.”

When Shawn isn't trying out new mediums or tracking his next character, he can be found in the jungles of Chicago.