Maree Coote is a multi-award-winning writer, designer, illustrator, and photographer. Her many creative passions converge in her sense of place and history, and she brings this to life through stunningly visual books for a range of audiences. She is the author of two gold award winning histories The Melbourne Book and The Art of Being Melbourne, and is author and illustrator of many children's picture books, including The Gum Queen, Spellbound, Alphabet City Zoo, Letters From New York, Animology, Azaria, Letters From Australia, and The Black Pot Belly. Maree Coote is a multi-award-winning writer, designer, illustrator, and photographer. Her many creative passions converge in her sense of place and history, and she brings this to life through stunningly visual books for a range of audiences. She is the author of two award-winning histories: The Melbourne Book and The Art of Being Melbourne, and is author and illustrator of many children's picture books, including The Gum Queen, Spellbound, Alphabet City Zoo, Letters from New York, Animology, Azaria, Letters from Australia, and The Black Pot Belly. She lives in Melbourne, Australia.