Radek Malý, born on July 24, 1977, in Olomouc, is a Czech poet, children's book author, and translator. He studied German and Czech studies at Palacký University. Malý works as a university lecturer, translator from German, poet, and author of children's literature. He has published poetry collections including Lunovis (2001), Vraní zpěvy (2002), Větrní (2005), and Malá tma (2008). He translates the poetry of Georg Trakl (the selection Autumn Soul was published in 2005 by BB Art) Erich Kästner, Rainer Maria Rilke, Paul Celan, Hugo Sonnenschein, and others. Among contemporary poets, he has translated works by Karel Lubomirski (the selection Bird Above the Burning Forest, BB-Art, 2003) and also focuses on translations of medieval German love songs.

Renata Bellingerová graduated from a humanities-focused high school and works as a telephone operator. She writes sarcastic, socially nuanced texts and fairy tales in a lively, original language.

Jitka Petrová is an animator, illustrator, and web designer. She graduated from the Animation Studio at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. Her graduation project, a computer game titled "Krtčí výlet" (The Mole's Adventure), earned her the Josef Hlávka Award in 2004 and a nomination at the Top Talent Festival 2004 in Vienna. She is a member of the civic association ILLUSTRATORS:
http://www.ilustratori.net/

http://www.jitapetr.com/

Josef Štefan Kubín was a writer and collector of oral folklore. Throughout his life, he collected and tirelessly recorded thousands of folk tales and anecdotes from the Podkrkonoší region, publishing them in their raw form and the robust dialect of the area. His vivid, original approach to language and storytelling of ordinary people was later similarly utilized by Bohumil Hrabal.

Radůza, born Radka Vranková, is a Czech singer, chansonnière, songwriter, accordionist, and music composer. Besides writing her own songs, she also composes classical and theatrical music, as well as studies the folk music of various European nations.

Miroslav Šašek was a painter, illustrator, and the author of the famous "This is…" series of books featuring cities like Paris, Rome, New York, and others. His books have charmed both adults and children for over fifty years. Originally an architect by profession, Šašek left Czechoslovakia in 1947 to study in Paris and never returned home. He later worked as an editor for Radio Free Europe in Munich. At the end of the 1950s, he presented his first illustrated guide for children, This is Paris, to London's Allen publishing house. He aimed to depict Paris "quite differently... as it truly is. As I saw it when I first arrived, and how I see it now…". According to his editor, not a single line needed to be changed in the book, which went straight to press. "This is Paris," complete with his illustrations and text, was published in London in 1959 and soon after by McMillan in New York. Following Paris, more cities and countries were covered. Šašek's books were translated into multiple languages and published in tens of thousands of copies across France, Italy, Germany, Spain, South America, Japan, Scandinavia, and beyond, earning him numerous awards. Since 2003, his books have been republished and experienced a global revival.

Šašek's books are not just excellent guides; they showcase cities as they are: enchanting and ordinary, filled with famous landmarks and the small moments of everyday life. He didn't forget about children, games and attractions, pets, typical professions, and local customs. He created his books in the middle of the places he wrote about: "You have to get to know these people, they have to get to know you… Then you start to see it through their eyes, and it's no longer just about buildings and landmarks, but life, ordinary life, and that's what makes these cities." Through his generous series about cities and countries, Miroslav Šašek has guided several generations of children and parents around the world. Now, after many years, his work returns to the Czech Republic.

Veronika Holcová is a painter, illustrator, and graphic artist who graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. Her work is dreamlike and poetic, with references to romantic painting.

Václav Kaplický was a Czech novelist, journalist, and author of Czech historical fiction and legionnaire prose. He is best known as a writer of historical fiction. Born at a solitary farmstead called Červený Dvůr near Kozí Hrádek, he studied at a gymnasium and technical school in nearby Tábor, where he lived (1904–1914) in a house on the square close to the school. He graduated in 1914 and was drafted into the First World War the following year and sent to the Galician front. There, he was captured in 1916 and subsequently joined the Czechoslovak legions. In 1918, he was a delegate at a banned military congress and, following this discovery, was arrested and imprisoned in Vladivostok. Upon his return to Czechoslovakia (1919), he became an employee of the secretariat of the Socialist Union of Czechoslovak Legionnaires and shortly thereafter (1919–1922) served as an official at the Ministry of National Defense. From 1922 to 1950, he worked in several publishing houses (e.g., Čin, Pokrok, Družstevní práce, Melantrich), initially as an official and later as a managing editor, such as in 1926 when he worked in the editorial office of Cestami odboje – Jak žily a kudy táhly československé legie (The Paths of Resistance – Life and Marches In the Czechoslovak Legions). From 1950 onwards, he dedicated himself solely to literature. He aimed to deepen popular reading with a critical view, especially on social issues, but later focused exclusively on historical prose, with the core of his work being the Hussite era, the period of witch trials and lawlessness, and various uprisings, revolts, and popular resistance.

Eva Maceková, graduated from the Prague School of Applied Arts (VŠUP) where she studied textile design, illustration, and graphics. She sews, paints, draws, and prints. With lively energy, she blends various techniques to create art that is bold and immediate. Eva brings a punk-like virility to her work, making inventive use of any materials at hand. Her art is marked by vivid colors, an oddball psychedelic flair, and a hint of nostalgia.

Alois Mikulka, born on August 13, 1933, is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava, where he studied monumental painting under Professor Ján Želibský. His diverse artistic endeavors, ranging from sculpture and painting to children's fairy tales, are united by a distinct and recognizable style. Mikulka's work has been showcased in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the Czech Republic and internationally (including in Yugoslavia, Italy, Sweden, Germany, England, and Mexico). He is a recipient of several prestigious awards, both domestically and internationally. In recognition of his significant contributions, he was inducted into the Golden Fund of Czech Literature for Children and Youth in 1997.

Ivana B. Englmaierová graduated from the Faculty of Education at Charles University in Prague. After her studies, she began teaching, initially at a primary school and later at an art school, focusing on literature, drama, and visual arts. She is dedicated to working with and for children, organizing and co-organizing exhibitions of children's work. She co-authored three books for children about visual arts (Divus 1997) and is an active member of the Klášter association. She lives and works in Bechyně.

Františka Loubat (née Lachmanová), completed her degree in Illustration and Graphics at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in 2014. She stands out as one of the most intriguing Czech illustrators, with a notable presence in the comic book scene. Her portfolio covers a wide range of styles, themes, and disciplines. Her work is featured on platforms such as ilustratori.net, Baobab publishing house, artalk.cz with her comic strip starring Custodian Květa, and in Art and Antiques magazine, where her comic Umělec (The Artist), inspired by the fine arts scene, is published. Loubat collaborates with scriptwriter Tomáš Končinský on these projects. She earned the Muriel award for best comic strip with Květa at KomiksFEST! 2014 and the ART BOOK WANTED Edition Lidu award for her noir comic SICKTOWN two years prior. Loubat also gained attention for her project Vážně typický! (Seriously Typical!) in the Charles Square subway station, where she painted large comic strips on the wall, capturing a micro-story between a man and a woman with her distinctive drawing style. Besides comic strips, she designs book covers, illustrations, posters, and is a member of the band Vobezdud.

Marie Štumpfová graduated from the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, where she specialized in Illustration and Graphics after studying fashion design and completing an internship at the Academy of Fine Arts under Vladimír Kokolia. Her work today mainly revolves around illustration, book and magazine design, and the creation of author's books. She collaborates with notable publishers including Baobab, Paseka, Běžíliška, Meander, and Euromedia. Marie designed Page magazine for the Luxor bookstore and serves as its art director. She was also behind the previous design of Hybris magazine. Her passion for interdisciplinary work has led her to design projects, including a wooden construction set for children. Her thesis project, Jak zvířata spí (How Animals Sleep), has been celebrated by critics and readers alike, and is now available for children in Japan, Poland, the Netherlands, Korea, and Hungary.

Luboš Drtina specializes in book and magazine design, illustration, poster creation, exhibition design, author's books, CD design, and free graphic work. Since 1990, he has been designing book layouts and illustrations for various publishers including Pražská imaginace, ERM, Eminent, Thyrsus, Paseka, Volvox Globator, Knihcentrum, Nakladatelství Franze Kafky, Mladá fronta, Akropolis, Academia, Argo, and others. He has graphically designed over 500 book titles. Since 2003, he has been publishing his own bibliophile edition. He has received awards in both domestic and international competitions and from 2003 to 2013, he worked as a lecturer in the studio of type design and typography at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague.

Her works are distinctly graphic, with an emphasis on the effect of colour and simple shapes. Toys, books, notebooks and clothes, Aino-Maija Metsola's homely and subtly melancholic illustrations are everywhere. Her interest in pattern, decor and surface rhythm is also evident in her work for the textile company Marimekko.

She studied illustration and graphic design at Umprum. Founder and only employee of Linostock, the first linocut photo bank (www.linostock.com). She enjoys portraiture, drawing and engraving, teaching art to children, writing, and outlining non-profit business plans. She is the author of comic strips about Expert and his admirers. She irregularly records career growth secrets in her Entrepreneur Diary.
 

Illustrator Jindřich Janíček is a graduate of the Tomas Bata University in Zlín and the Illustration Studio at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (UMPRUM). He is the author of the books "Přicházíme v míru ve jménu lidstva" (We Come in Peace in the Name of Humanity), "K večeru spustil se déšť" (As Evening Fell, the Rain Began), and "Podivuhodná robotí expedice" (The Marvelous Robotic Expedition). When working, he most enjoys listening to The White Stripes.

www.taketaketake.cz

František Tichý, born in Prague in 1969, has been working with children and teenagers since he was sixteen, initially as a summer camp and group leader. After earning his degree in biology and chemistry education from the Faculty of Science at Charles University, he co-founded the alternative high school Přírodní škola (Natural School) in 1993, which he still leads. He chronicled the school's unique beginnings in Přírodní škola – cesta jako cíl (Natural School - The Journey as the Destination) (Geum, 2012) and followed up with Výchova jako dobrodružství aneb to se v té Přírodní škole učíte na stromech? (Education as an Adventure, or Do You Learn in Trees at the Natural School?) (Geum, 2017), a reflection on his educational principles and experiences peppered with anecdotes from his time with students. Aside from his educational work, Tichý enjoys playing guitar, singing, cross-country skiing, swimming, hiking, and has interests in astronomy, biology, and modern physics. His writing, primarily aimed at young audiences, includes the samizdat Můj přítel Dominik (My Friend Dominik) (2008), blending Christian theology with fantasy, and Transport za věčnost (Transport to Eternity) (Baobab, 2017), a novel set during the Protectorate era that intertwines the stories of Jewish and Christian families against the backdrop of the Terezín ghetto and resistance activities, based on authentic historical materials. This novel won the Magnezia Litera award in 2018 and has been translated into Polish and Bulgarian.

František Tichý also edited the poetry collection Hned vedle bílá barva mráčků (The White Color of the Clouds Alongside) by Hanuš Hachenburg, a fourteen-year-old Terezín prisoner, with its second English-Czech edition winning first place for the most beautiful book of 2013. He processed the legacy of Josef Jan Kratochvíl, a resistance fighter and founder of radio exercises, in Dopisy z dáli (Letters from Afar). Both figures are featured in his novel Transport za věčnost. Tichý dedicated years to gathering materials on Petr Ginz, culminating in the biography Princ se žlutou hvězdou (The Prince with the Yellow Star) (Geum, 2014), awarded the Golden Ribbon for factual literature for children and youth. Additionally, he wrote and produced three plays with his students: Terezínské zvony (Terezín Bells), set in the Terezín ghetto; Návštěva z pravěku (A Visit from Prehistory), linking Petr Ginz's fate with his eponymous novel; and Podzimní příběh (An Autumn Story), set in Prague at the end of 1989.

Born in Hradec Králové but raised in Zlín, Alžběta was profoundly influenced by painter and poet Jaroslav Kovanda at the Robinson art school, who taught her to appreciate colors, percieve the world around her and observe life. She completed her education at the Secondary School of Arts and Crafts in Uherské Hradiště before advancing to study illustration and graphics at UMPRUM in Prague. Zemanová now works at the NaPOLI studio, specializing in creating paper foldings, cutouts, and author’s books. She is also a co-manager of the Xao Bookstore and Gallery in Prague's Vršovice district, alongside Klára Zahrádková, Jakub Plachý, and Zuzana Bramborová. A lover of nature, she cultivates a variety of plants including cornflowers, beans, and herbs in her garden in the Podkrkonoší region. Zemanová has a passion for bringing fictional characters to life, crafting them into both fabric and paper toys with their unique stories and personalities under her brand AKA.