Cate Storey - Author
Cate Storey is the author of three children’s books: Snuggled Away, The Perfect Hollow, and Sunny Finds His Song. Drawing on her background in ecology, conservation, and education, her writing enriches young minds with a passion for nature. Cate holds a dual degree in Creative Industries and Education, specialising in geography, along with a Master’s in Development and Environmental Analysis and a Diploma in Conservation and Land Management.
Growing up in the Australian bush and coming from a family of environmental scientists, Cate has a passion for Australia’s unique environment. Her grandmother was a botanist and her mother is a botanist and ecologist. As a mother and an educator, Cate uses storytelling to cultivate curiosity and a sense of responsibility in children towards Australia's distinctive flora and fauna.
In addition to her literary pursuits, Cate serves as a Communications Officer at the Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee, where she continues to advocate for the protection and appreciation of our natural environment.
Sarah Matsuda - Illustrator
Sarah Matsuda is the illustrator of three children's books: Snuggled Away, The Perfect Hollow, and Sunny Finds His Song. She is a distinguished third-generation Australian artist. Her mother, Robyn Bauer, is a fine artist, and her father, Mark Andrews, is renowned for sculpting the iconic "Sheep" at the Teneriffe riverfront in Brisbane. Her grandmothers, Joan Bauer and Pixie Joan Andrews, were both celebrated artists in Queensland.
Sarah's artistic journey began at a young age, with her first exhibition at the age of 13, where she collaborated with her mother to showcase lino prints coloured with watercolour and animal sculptures in clay. Her first solo exhibition took place in 2022, coinciding with the release of Snuggled Away, a children's book rich in visual detail, celebrating Australia's nocturnal wildlife. As a member of the Royal Queensland Art Society, Sarah was a finalist in the 2022 Queensland Figurative Competition. Additionally, she illustrated the cover of the poetry book Drama Queen by Ginnie Bale.
Penny Watson - Author
Dr. Penny Watson has been an ecologist for over 20 years. She majored in Botany as an undergraduate at Sydney University and began learning about fire while pursuing a Master's in Environmental Management at Griffith University, which she was awarded in 1999. In 2005, she completed a PhD in fire ecology at Western Sydney University. Dr. Watson has worked in research, environmental education, and community development. Ecologists study relationships between organisms and their environment.
Dr. Watson's primary interest lies in how Australian native plants respond to fire, but her work inevitably involves other organisms—such as birds, insects, fungi, and people—and various environmental factors like soils, climate, CO2 levels, and government policy. Ecological relationships are complex, with interconnected elements, which is part of the delight in studying how life functions on this planet.
Not just co-authors on Sunny Finds His Song, Penny Watson and Cate Storey are mother and daughter.