Nastya Ryabtseva

About the Author

NASTYA RYABTSEVA is a St. Petersburg-born, Jerusalem-based journalist and educator. After relocating her family from Russia to Israel in fall 2021, she struggled to find her footing. She recognized that teens who were being displaced due to the war in Ukraine were struggling too. In March 2022, Ryabtseva founded Wild Walks, an initiative that strives to build community and create a safe haven for those teens. Theodore the Hedgehog Finds a Friend is Nastya’s first children’s book.

NATAŠA JOVANIĆ is an artist and illustrator from Bosnia and Herzegovina. A graduate of the Academy of Arts, Banja Luka and the University of the Arts, Berlin, Jovanić has worked on magazine illustration, winning the Ilustrofest’s First Prize. Jovanić has also illustrated books for children, including Patrick Kellegher’s A Witch and a Wizard Live Here.