Lantana Publishing works with new, aspiring and award-winning authors and illustrators from around the world to show authors of colour that their stories matter.
ALI WINTER
Ali is an experienced anthologist and non-fiction writer who has written for various international publications and is passionate about seeking out lesser told stories from around the world.
Books by Ali:
Peace and Me
Science and Me (Autumn 2020)
ANASTASIA SUVOROVA
Anastasia is an award-winning children’s book
illustrator from St Petersburg, Russia. She is the 2018 winner
of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Silent Book Contest.
chaosego.com
Books by Anastasia:
Shadow
BRIGITA OREL
Brigita is a Slovenian author and translator. She has
published numerous short stories and poems in online and print
journals. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Books by Brigita:
The Pirate Tree
CHITRA SOUNDAR
Chitra is an Indian-born British author and storyteller.
She has published over 30 books and is inspired by the rich
heritage of epics and folktales from India.
Books by Chitra:
You're Safe With Me
You're Snug With Me
You're Strong With Me
COSEI KAWA
Cosei is an award-winning Japanese artist. His many accolades include the CBCC Choices Best-of-the-Year list, the Sydney Taylor Book Award Silver Medal and the Turry's Picture Book Award.
Books by Cosei:
The Tigon and the Liger
DIWA THARAN SANDERS
Malaysian author Diwa teaches meditation and breathwork classes,
and owns Tulamula, a company that makes
intuitively-designed mala necklaces and
bracelets for healing, happiness and
inspiration.
Books by Diwa:
Kaya's Heart Song
JENNIE POH
Jennie was born in England and grew up in Malaysia. She
studied Fine Art at The Surrey Institute of Art & Design as well as
Fashion Illustration at Central St. Martins.
Books by Jennie:
The Pirate Tree
JÉRÉMY PAILLER
Jérémy is a French
illustrator and animator
with a PhD in the plastic
arts. His animated films
have been screened at
multiple festivals and won
several awards.
Books by Jérémy:
Dragon Dancer
KEILLY SWIFT
Keilly is Managing Editor of the award-winning publication First News – the UK's first national newspaper for young people. The Tigon and the Liger is her first picture book.
Books by Keilly:
The Tigon and the Liger
JO LORING-FISHER
Jo is an artist, illustrator and storyteller
living in the countryside near Stonehenge in Wiltshire.
She holds an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from
the Cambridge School of Art.
Books by Jo:
Maisie's Scrapbook
JOYCE CHNG
Joyce is a Chinese-Singaporean children’s
author. Her work is
regularly anthologised and
she has a particular passion
for steampunk and science
fiction.
Books by Joyce:
Dragon Dancer
LUCY CHRISTOPHER
Lucy is the award-winning author of Stolen, Flyaway, The Killing Woods and Storm-Wake. She is Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, UK, where she holds a PhD in Creative Writing.
www.lucychristopher.com
Books by Lucy:
Shadow
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
MAHTAB NARSIMHAN
Mahtab was born in
Mumbai and now lives in Canada. She is the award-winning author of The Third Eye, which won the Silver Birch Fiction Award, and The Tiffin.
Books by Mahtab:
Looking for Lord Ganesh
MANUELA ADREANI
Manuela is a
children’s book illustrator
and animator living in Turin,
Italy. She won the illustration contest
for the 130th anniversary of
the creation of Pinocchio and was nominated for a Kate Greenaway Medal
Books by Manuela:
The Wooden Camel
MARTINA PELUSO
Martina lives and works in
Naples. She has illustrated many children's books and has exhibited in countless art shows around
Europe. She also organises cultural events and
shows for young people with the Kolibri
Cultural Association.
martinapelusoillustratrice.blogspot.com
Books by Martina:
Phoenix Song
MARYAM AL SERKAL
Maryam is an Emirati writer who is
passionate about storytelling. She lives in Dubai with
her husband and two children who inspire her stories.
Books by Maryam:
Mira's Curly Hair
MEHRDOKHT AMINI
Mehrdokht is an Iranian-born illustrator who has won the
Children’s Africana Best Book Award and has been twice nominated for
the Kate Greenaway Medal. She was also one of the UK entrants for the prestigious Biennial of Illustration Bratislava Awards.
Books by Mehrdokht:
Chicken in the Kitchen
Nimesh the Adventurer
MICKAËL EL FATHI
Mickaël is an acclaimed French-Moroccan children’s book illustrator
who has published widely in France. A former computer graphic designer and
3D director, he now helps children travel the world through his illustrations.
Books by Mickaël:
Peace and Me
Science and Me (Autumn 2020)
NADINE KAADAN
Nadine is an award-winning
children’s book author
and illustrator from Syria now living in the United
Kingdom. Her mission is to encourage a reading culture in
the Arab world. She has been nominated for a Kate Greenaway Medal.
Books by Nadine:
The Jasmine Sneeze
Tomorrow
NANSUBUGA NAGADYA ISDAHL
Nansubuga was born in the United States to
Ugandan parents and works in international development in
East and Southern Africa. Her debut picture book Sleep Well, Siba and Saba was voted a Kirkus Best Picture Book of the Year.
Books by Nansubuga:
Sleep Well, Siba and Saba
Sing to the Moon
NERINA CANZI
Nerina s an award-winning
Argentinian illustrator with a degree from
the National School of Fine Arts in Buenos
Aires. She has won the prestigious Premio
Nacional Y Latinoamericano de Literatura
Infantil Y Juvenil award.
Books by Nerina:
The Ammuchi Puchi
Kaya's Heart Song
NNEDI OKORAFOR
Nnedi is a multi-award-winning author born in the United States to Nigerian parents. Her children's books have won the Macmillan Writers Prize for Africa, the Children's Africana Book Award and the Wole Soyinka Prize for African Literature.
Books by Nnedi:
Chicken in the Kitchen
PAWEŁ PAWLAK
A graduate of the Academy of
Fine Arts in Wrocław, Poland,
award-winning children’s book
illustrator Paweł Pawlak has
illustrated over 80 books and won
international acclaim for his work.
(photo credit Ewa Kozyra-Pawlak)
Books by Paweł:
Oscar seeks a friend
POONAM MISTRY
Poonam is a British illustrator of Indian heritage with a
degree in Graphic Design and Illustration. Her work has been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal, longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize and nominated for the Ezra Jack Keats Award.
Books by Poonam:
You're Safe With Me
You're Snug With Me
You're Strong With Me
RANJIT SINGH
Ranjit is a British children’s book author of East Asian
heritage. He uses words to reach out and inspire people in his
community.
Books by Ranjit:
Nimesh the Adventurer
REBECA LUCIANI
Rebeca is an Argentinian illustrator, now living
in Spain. Her books have won the Premi Crítica Serra
d’Or prize, the Açorianos prize for Best Book of the
Year, and the Premi Junceda.
Books by Rebeca:
Mira's Curly Hair
SAMUEL NARH
Samuel was born and raised in Ghana. He loves
to paint stories with words. Maisie’s Scrapbook was
inspired by his young family. He lives in Ohio with his
wife, Freda, and daughter, Merrit.
Books by Samuel:
Maisie's Scrapbook
SANDRA VAN DOORN
Sandra was born in France and now lives in
Australia. She attended art classes at Emily Carr University
in Vancouver before embarking on her career as a children’s
illustrator. She has been nominated for a Kate Greenaway Medal.
Books by Sandra:
Sleep Well, Siba and Saba
Sing to the Moon
SHARANYA MANIVANNAN
Sharanya is an award-winning
poet and writer from India.
Amongst her awards and accolades are the Lavanya Sankaran
Fellowship, a 2012
ELLE Fiction Award, and nominations for the Pushcart Prize.
(photo credit Catriona Mitchell)
Books by Sharanya:
The Ammuchi Puchi
SONJA WIMMER
Sonja is a German illustrator
who studied at the “Llotja”
Arts and Crafts School in Barcelona.
She has won many awards including the Gold Medal
for Best Illustrator at the US
Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
and Most Inspirational Children’s
Picture Book at the International
Latino Book Awards.
Books by Sonja:
Looking for Lord Ganesh
STELLA ELIA
Stella is a Brazilian children’s book writer. An art teacher
with a Masters in Art History, she is also a founding member of
Casa BabaYaga, a literary collective in Brazil.
Books by Stella:
Old Man of the Sea
TUTU DUTTA
Tutu was born in India but grew
up in Malaysia. She is the author of several
highly praised books for young people. In
2014, Tutu was a judge for the Scholastic
Asia Young Writers Award.
Books by Tutu:
Phoenix Song
WANURI KAHIU
Born in Nairobi, Wanuri
is an award-winning
filmmaker and TED fellow. Her films have
screened in over 100 festivals
around the world.
Books by Wanuri:
The Wooden Camel
WEBERSON SANTIAGO
Weberson is an award-winning Brazilian illustrator
whose work has been published in several countries. Among his
accolades is the 2009 Trofeu HQ Mix award for Best Illustrator
in Brazil.
Books by Weberson:
Old Man of the Sea
ABI ELPHINSTONE
Abi studied English at university then became a teacher. Now she writes books (The Dreamsnatcher, The Shadow Keeper) and travels the world looking for stories.
Books by Abi:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
ADÈLE GERAS
Adèle has published more than 100 books, mostly for children and young adults. She lives in Cambridge but lived in West Africa for a time when very young.
Books by Adèle:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
BEVERLEY NAIDOO
Beverley is a Carnegie award winning author. Brought up during the apartheid years in South Africa much of her writing focuses on African history.
(photo credit Linda Brownlee)
Books by Beverley:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
ELIZABETH LAIRD
Elizabeth is the multi award winning author of many successful young fiction & YA novels. She has lived all over the world.
(photo credit Anne Mortensen)
Books by Elizabeth:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
EMMIE VAN BIERVLIET
Emmie is a mixed media artist whose inspiration comes from journeys, mystical stories and the bizarre sights she has encountered on her travels.
Books by Emmie:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
GERALDINE MCCAUGHREAN
Geraldine has written 170 books and been published in 50 countries. And people even give her prizes for it, like the Carnegie Medal.
(photo credit Brett Williams)
www.geraldinemccaughrean.co.uk
Books by Geraldine:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
GILL LEWIS
Gill writes stories for children inspired by her love of the natural world. Her books have won international awards for environmental literature.
Books by Gill:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
IFEOMA ONYEFULU
My first child inspired me to start writing – there were very few books about Africans at the time. I have won awards in America and won the Children's Africana Book Award twice.
Books by Ifeoma:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
PIERS TORDAY
Piers Torday is the author of the Last Wild trilogy, which has sold around the world and won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize.
(photo credit James Betts)
Books by Piers
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
SARAH LEAN
As a child, Sarah wanted to be a writer and dictated stories to her mother. Her fascination with animals began when she was aged eight and a stray cat decided to adopt her.
Books by Sarah:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon
TOM MOORHOUSE
Tom is half children's author and half research ecologist (an entity probably not called an "authologist"). He is the author of The River Singers, The Rising and Trickster.
Books by Tom:
A Wisp of Wisdom: Animal Tales from Cameroon