Katie Gilstrap (KatieGilstrap.com), author of Spacemanatee! and the forthcoming Finnegan Fox, is a wildlife advocate and former veterinary technician from south-central Kansas. Diagnosed with panic disorder and OCD at an early age, Katie strives to celebrate neurodiversity in children’s literature by writing kid-friendly books that inspire confidence, courage, and self-acceptance.Maribel Lechuga (MaribelLechuga.com) is a freelance illustrator from Madrid, Spain. Her previous picture books include Ten Beautiful Things (by Molly Beth Griffin), What’s in Your Pocket? (by Heather L. Montgomery), and Seaside Stroll (by Charles Trevino). She loves nature, animal watching, hiking, and a good conversation.

“Gilstrap’s well-constructed rhyming narrative demands to be read aloud. Readers will delight in Lechuga’s velvety illustrations, which include details such as a praying mantis’s intimidating posturing, a startled owl, and watchful predators lurking in the background. In an author’s note, Gilstrap provides information about porcupines and insight into her own childhood panic disorder, both of which enrich the story and invite conversation about bravery in the face of anxiety. Rich illustrations and a snappy rhyming text reinforce the power of inner strength.” —Kirkus Reviews

Katie Gilstrap (KatieGilstrap.com), author of Spacemanatee! and the forthcoming Finnegan Fox, is a wildlife advocate and former veterinary technician from south-central Kansas. Diagnosed with panic disorder and OCD at an early age, Katie strives to celebrate neurodiversity in children’s literature by writing kid-friendly books that inspire confidence, courage, and self-acceptance.Maribel Lechuga (MaribelLechuga.com) is a freelance illustrator from Madrid, Spain. Her previous picture books include Ten Beautiful Things (by Molly Beth Griffin), What’s in Your Pocket? (by Heather L. Montgomery), and Seaside Stroll (by Charles Trevino). She loves nature, animal watching, hiking, and a good conversation.

“Gilstrap’s well-constructed rhyming narrative demands to be read aloud. Readers will delight in Lechuga’s velvety illustrations, which include details such as a praying mantis’s intimidating posturing, a startled owl, and watchful predators lurking in the background. In an author’s note, Gilstrap provides information about porcupines and insight into her own childhood panic disorder, both of which enrich the story and invite conversation about bravery in the face of anxiety. Rich illustrations and a snappy rhyming text reinforce the power of inner strength.” —Kirkus Reviews

Katie Gilstrap (KatieGilstrap.com), author of Spacemanatee! and the forthcoming Finnegan Fox, is a wildlife advocate and former veterinary technician from south-central Kansas. Diagnosed with panic disorder and OCD at an early age, Katie strives to celebrate neurodiversity in children’s literature by writing kid-friendly books that inspire confidence, courage, and self-acceptance.Maribel Lechuga (MaribelLechuga.com) is a freelance illustrator from Madrid, Spain. Her previous picture books include Ten Beautiful Things (by Molly Beth Griffin), What’s in Your Pocket? (by Heather L. Montgomery), and Seaside Stroll (by Charles Trevino). She loves nature, animal watching, hiking, and a good conversation.

“Gilstrap’s well-constructed rhyming narrative demands to be read aloud. Readers will delight in Lechuga’s velvety illustrations, which include details such as a praying mantis’s intimidating posturing, a startled owl, and watchful predators lurking in the background. In an author’s note, Gilstrap provides information about porcupines and insight into her own childhood panic disorder, both of which enrich the story and invite conversation about bravery in the face of anxiety. Rich illustrations and a snappy rhyming text reinforce the power of inner strength.” —Kirkus Reviews