Us! Here we are on Galiano Island (near Vancouver, BC) where we met great school kids, explored beautiful hiking trails, photographed fabulous fungi, and marvelled at so many slugs! (Did you know banana slugs make numbing slime to deter creatures that might want to chomp them?)
We believe in the power of play, nature, animals, whimsy—and most especially we believe in the power of kids.
We’re Deanna and Neil, a writer/artist duo. Our mission is to spark delight, curiosity, and creativity. Thanks for dropping by!
book series for kids
FOR KIDS 7-10-ish, meet Ophelia von Hairball, the world’s #1 cat burglar and her incredible inventor, Oscar Fishgerald Gold. Find adventure, heists, and teamwork in this middle grade book series with lots of illustrations and graphic novel pages.
"Classy bad girl Ophelia is as funny as she is furry…she’s the pussycat love child of James Bond and Zsa Zsa Gabor, and who can’t love that?" ―Kirkus Reviews
"More than a just sharply dressed classy kitty... Ophelia and Fishgerald squabble and lob quips with amusing ease." ―Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
FOR KIDS 6-10-ish, Pitched as Mario Kart meets My Little Pony, this fast-paced full-color graphic novel adventure series follows Mio and Mudwick (a mermaid and her monster truck) as they lead their team of Glam Prix Racers across Glittergear Island on a quest to win the coveted Glam Prix Cup!
"... High-energy from its very first page, Glam Prix Racers is centered on team spirit and adventure, undoubtedly leaving readers anticipating the series' next installment." ―Canadian Children's Book Centre
"…Kent’s quirky dialogue provides laughs while Hooson’s cartoon artwork bursts with energy; together, the previous collaborators (the Snazzy Cat Capers series) blend the colorful, high-octane world of race car driving with a candy-coated lesson in friendship and perseverance." ―Publishers Weekly
FOR KIDS 5-8-ish, meet the Marshmallow Martians in “Show and Smell”, the first book in the silly Marshmallow Martians graphic chapter book series! They’re sweet, squashy buddies who journey through their backyard portal in search of adventures on their favorite planet—Earth! A hilarious graphic chapter book for the youngest readers that will make kids look at life on Earth through fresh eyes!
”The wide-eyed characters, all squishy stylized marshmallows, are so adorably huggable, it’s hard to believe they’re not already optioned as a streaming series. These alien confections are silly perfection. (Graphic fiction. 5-8) ―Kirkus Reviews
interactive experiences
Kids can draw along with Neil and ask “What if…”
Check out and subscribe to Deanna and Neil’s Youtube Channel where Neil shows how to create fun characters, objects, and places and Deanna asks a lot of “What if…” to highlight how the creative process can sometimes start with curiosity—and silly questions.
Check out the Deanna and Neil How-to-Draw and Create Youtube Channel where Neil shows how to create fun characters, objects, and places and Deanna asks a lot of “What if…” !
Unboxals Education & Entertainment
Unboxals uses immersive story and interactive experiences across a variety of mediums and platforms to help kids and families become animal champions. With a small team of our former Disney colleagues, we’re creating engaging experiences to shine the spotlight on the superpowers of animals—and kids.
BC Children’s Hospital Teck Acute Care Project
With a talented team, we created an immersive narrative and wrapped three MRI rooms of the new Vancouver Children’s Hospital. The goal was to make kids and families more comfortable during their procedures, and to decrease the use of medication during MRIs. For several months, with the guidance of the Child Life Hospital team, we designed the pre, during, and post MRI experiences—it was one of the most gratifying projects we’ve ever done.
Team members included Neil Hooson (Art Director), Deanna Kent (Story), Keely Portsmouth (Designer), Jenny Weightman (Artist), Amanda Kadatz (Artist), Augusto Kapronczai (Artist)