Media

Joan M. Hellquist

Although I’ve been known most of my life for my artwork, in high school I became known by my friends as a storyteller with a sense of humor. And later on, I was known for my letter writing, a lost art now. So writing and illustrating books is a relatively new endeavor that I’m really enjoying. My first book, Beyond the Stars: The Other Side Through a Child’s Eyes and my new one, Piki Goes to College, have given me the opportunity to tell a story combining my two loves, children and animals. And in both, the animals and children have their own voice. Piki Goes to College is the first of a series of books in which Piki tells more about her training and adventures.