..... in the winter the snow had fallen heavily. The streets of the little village, high up in the mountains of Peloponnese, Greece, were covered with snow, but that did not stop me from being born, on a Monday, the 23rd of November, at 4.15 in the afternoon. I was an ugly little creature, and everybody was hoping that, when the winter goes, my face would start to mellow, on the other hand, did not have a clue about what the others thought of me, so I continued to grow, enjoying all the care of a firstborn. When I started to be aware of the world that surrounded me, I began to sense that I was always told less than I would care to know, so I decided to look for myself for the missing parts, with much persistence and curiosity. I started to draw – as all children do eventually – since the early days of school. And as the years went by I would fill notebook after notebook with countless drawings, always trying to convey my own interpretation of reality. I also started to observe more carefully and cherish every important image and smell that I can still recall to this very day. My painting studies came much later having had already my two daughters. My involvement with children's books began in 1991 and continues until today – sometimes as a writer or an illustrator and sometimes as both – having done more than 130 illustrated books, some of which have been translated in various languages. I always feel a great responsibility towards those children who will read my books, concerning not just the story but the pictures as well. I strive to offer them a journey to the wonderful world of imagination and be their companion. I believe that a child who is given the opportunity of dreaming is a happy child and will become a happy adult eventually, a person who will try to build a better world, a world of sensitivity, imagination, colours and beauty.
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