Painter, illustrator, and writer, Daisy Mrázková is the author of more than a dozen picture books for children. She studied at the School of Applied Arts under Professor Antonín Strnadel between 1943 and1944. As an artist, she participated in numerous exhibitions and, along with her husband, was a member of the art group UB 12. Her artistic pursuits included oil painting, and from 1962, children's literature and book illustration. Later in her career, she predominantly focused on pen drawings, colored pencil sketches, and in the 1990s, egg tempera painting. She began exhibiting in 1958 and was a member of the Artistic Association. Her literary works have been translated into Slovak, English, German, Japanese, Lithuanian, and Slovenian. In the 1970s, she pioneered the 'bilderbuch' genre for children. Until her death in 2016, her life remained entwined with of her husband’s, painter Jiří Mrázek (1920–2008).
Petr Šmalec is a constructive and precise draughtsman focusing on graphic design, illustration (Ferda Páv, Šmalcova Abeceda), and independent creative work. He graduated from the SPŠ Grafická Hellichova in Prague and the Illustration and Graphics Studio at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design under Prof. Šalamoun. He lives in Olomouc and works as a graphic designer at the Museum of Art. Besides illustrations and graphic design, he also engages in computer graphics, drawing, and low-tech films (Owl Planet, O Špalíčkovi...). He is well-known for his work with the Auto*mat group.
After completing his studies at the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Uherské Hradiště, Chrudoš Valoušek graduated in monumental painting from the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (UMPRUM) in 1979–1985. Since then, he has worked variously as a stoker, security guard, restorer, and repository manager. A master of linocut, he is a recipient of the Řádu staré hrmy BKS (the BKS Order of Old Junk), a laureate of the Revolver Revue Award, and the first-ever award dedicated to linocut at the Graphic of the Year event. He is renowned for both his illustrations and his free linocut art, as well as his unique diary entries.
His literary works include Události, komentáře (1960–2020) (Events, Commentary), Puppet, Plum Pit, Plum, And Back to Puppet (Vojtěch Mašek, 2019), Valouškova zvířátka (2014) (Valoušek's Animals), Chrudošův zvěřinec (2014) (Chrudoš's Menagerie), Zazi v metru) (Zazie in the Metro) (Raymond Queneau, 2010), Žaloudění v Kundibále (J. Z. Lévi-Ostrowid, 2010), Chrudošův mix přísloví (2008) (Chrudoš's Mix of Proverbs), O zlaté mrkvi (2003) (The Golden Carrot). His book Puppet, Plum Pit, Plum, And Back to Puppet won the prestigious Bologna Ragazzi Award 2019 for Fiction, as well as the esteemed Dutch Zilveren penseel (Silver Brush) award.
Olga Černá studied agronomy and has worked in a laboratory, a bookstore, a village library, and is currently employed at the Milevsko monastery. She is a principal author for the Baobab publishing house, where she has published six children's books. She also writes short texts of various genres for magazines and newspapers and regularly contributes to the Respekt weekly blog. She lives in South Bohemia. Černá has been honored with the Librarian of the Year title, and her books are regularly recognized with the IBBY Golden Ribbon award.
Dora Dutková studied philosophy at FFUK in Prague and completed her studies in illustration and graphics at VŠUP in Prague. Her activities include drawing, graphic design, animated film, and illustration. Her authorial children's book Vytahaný koblih (The Stretched Donut) was published by the Scientia publishing house, and she recently illustrated Christian Morgenstern's Gallows Songs for the Labyrint publishing house. Her own book, Papaver, was published by the Argo publishing house.
Jiří Dvořák was born in 1970 in Frýdlant and spent his childhood in Prague, aspiring to become either a botanist or an author of adventure novels. In 1993, he graduated in plant biotechnology from the Czech University of Life Sciences, where he realized that a career in science was not his calling. He worked as a proofreader and later as an editor for various publications; currently, he is the editor-in-chief of the magazine "Naše krásná zahrada" (Our Beautiful Garden). Dvořák has combined his love for biology and adventure by writing books that often tell stories about nature. He lives in Prague, enjoys photography, sleeping, and staying quiet.
His books include Plesk! (ABR, 1997), Kvítka z čertovy pohádky (Flowers from the Devil's Tale) (Self-published, 2002), Slepice a televize (The Chicken and the Television) (Baobab, 2003), Zpátky do Afriky! (Back to Africa!) (Baobab, 2005), Minimax a mravenec (Minimax and the Ant) (Baobab, 2009), Stromovka (with Tereza Horváthová) (Baobab, 2010), Rostlinopis (Strange Truths and Fables of the Green World) (Baobab, 2012), Jak zvířata spí (How Animals Sleep) (Baobab, 2014), Havětník (The Beastiary) (Baobab, 2015), Bydlíme! (Home Sweet Home!) (Baobab, 2019), Slunečnice (Sunflowers) (Baobab, 2020).
He has been awarded the Golden Ribbon multiple times, was nominated for the Litera award for children's literature, and received the Grand Prix Bohemia for his radio fairy tales. After graduating from the Czech University of Life Sciences with a degree in plant biotechnology, he worked in various editorial offices as a proofreader and editor. He has collaborated with numerous newspapers and magazines, as well as with Czech Radio.
Sylva Fischerová studied French at a language school in Brno. In 1983, she began studying philosophy at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, and physics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University. In 1985, she switched to classical philology at the Faculty of Arts, where she graduated in 1991 with a thesis on Problém jednoty areté u Platóna (The Problem of Unity of Virtue in Plato) on the Protagoras dialogue. From 1995 to 2003, she completed her postgraduate studies there, culminating in her dissertation Mohou Múzy lhát? (Can the Muses Lie?). Since 1992, she has been working at the Institute of Greek and Latin Studies as a senior lecturer. Currently, she teaches ancient Greek literature, religion, and philosophy at Charles University. She is the author of eleven poetry collections and also writes short stories, novels, and children's books. For her book interview with philosopher Karel Floss, Bůh vždycky zatřese stavbou (God Always Shakes the Building) (Prague 2011), she received the Czech Literary Fund Foundation Award. In 2018, she became the first Poet Laureate of Prague.
Lukáš Fišárek graduated from the studio of animated film and television graphics at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague under Professor Barta. He works as a graphic designer and animator in his own studio, Oficina. He also plays the drums in the band Mezon.