Authors:
Pat Simmons is a writer of poetry, short stories, flash fiction, and picture books for children. She lives in Scarborough on the NSW South Coast with a lively menagerie of dogs, cats, and curious mini beasts. Pat holds a Bachelor’s degree in Children’s Services and an Advanced Diploma in Community Service Management. She has worked extensively with children across early childhood centres, museums, and TAFE classrooms, where she taught child studies. Her writing is often inspired by the small wonders of the natural world —
especially the fascinating world of mini beasts, which she loves to share with young readers through gentle storytelling and imaginative play.
Illustrator:
Katherine Appleby is an illustrator, artist, and designer inspired by nature and endlessly curious about the power of imagination. Her work spans a variety of mediums — watercolour, acrylic, and digital — and is known for its meticulous detail, whimsical charm, vibrant colour, and just a touch of quirkiness. Katherine holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts with Distinction from the University of Southern Queensland, with a double major in Visual Arts and Marketing. She also holds a Certificate IV in Graphic Design and is currently completing a Diploma in the field. In 2014, she received the Golden Key International Honour Society Award for Visual and Performing Arts (Painting). Katherine has illustrated several children’s picture books, including The Phoenix Five, and brings a distinctive blend of warmth and imagination to every page she creates.
