Silvio Bruinsma

Silvio Bruinsma (author) Silvio Bruinsma could never have imagined the path he had stepped onto when he convinced his wife Sarah to adopt a cheeky and playful Turkish angora kitten. Mittens' penchant for exploring soon emerged, and Silvio realised that being his guardian meant calls at random times of day and night to go out and collect him. When the Bruinsmas moved to a house on The Terrace adjacent to the CBD, Mittens' habitual wanderings suddenly gained a high profile. A Facebook page set up by the local SPCA, 'The Wondrous Adventures of Mittens', has grown to more than 67,000 members, there's been an exhibition of fan art, a sellout line of Mittens merch, and even a number-one hit song. Silvio, an accountant, is now using his skills to ensure that Mittens' immense popularity gives back to the community that loves him. Silvio says Mittens has showed him how something can go viral, and also the vital role that animals can play in people's mental health and wellbeing. Phoebe Morris (Illustrator) Award-winning freelance illustrator Phoebe Morris works from a small studio in Wellington. Among her many critically acclaimed picture books, she is most known for her bestselling biographies of famous New Zealanders, collaborations with author David Hill. She is also the illustrator of the Frankie Potts series by Juliet Jacka and the Charlie Tangaroa series by Tania Roxborogh, and was invited to exhibit her work at Parliament in an exhibition for up-and-coming women artists. In 2018 Phoebe was a finalist for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults' Russell Clark Award for Illustration. Somewhat tragically for an animal-lover, she is highly allergic - that's why she leapt at the chance to draw Mittens. Find out more about Phoebe and her work at phoebemorriscreative.com