Meet the Artists
Michael Martchenko
Michael Martchenko Content
Michael Martchenko has always loved to draw. He started off drawing new pictures for his favourite comic books, then went to art school and became the art director at an advertising agency. His first picture book was Robert Munsch's The Paper Bag Princess. He has collaborated with Robert Munsch on many other titles, including, Mmm, Cookies!, We Share Everything!, Alligator Baby, Makeup Mess, Up, Up, Down, Andrew's Loose Tooth, More Pies and Zoom!. He has also illustrated his own books, and such popular titles as Oonga Boonga. Michael loves to include sub-plots and visual jokes in his books — watch for the chickens in Playhouse, and see if you can spot Michael and Robert Munsch at the bus stop in More Pies! Michael writes and illustrates picture books from his studio in Burlington, Ontario. Read our Illustrator Spotlight: Q & A with Michael Martchenko.
Jay Odjick
Jay Odjick Content
Jay Odjick is an artist, writer and producer from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, an Algonquin community just outside of Maniwaki, Quebec. He loved reading comics as child and eventually went from being a fan to a comic book creator! His indigenous superhero Kagagi appeared first as a graphic novel and is now an animated television series broadcast in both English and Algonquin.
Jay drew upon his upbringing to illustrate Blackflies. The story is set on a northern Alberta reserve and is about Helen, a young girl whose sister and father have been swept up by a swarm of insects! Jay previously illustrated Munsch's story The Ocean Goes On Forever, which appears in the anthology Munsch Mania (will be available on the site in Summer 2025).
Jay’s most recent collaboration with Robert Munsch is Bear for Breakfast. When asked about the most interesting food he’s ever eaten, Jay said “I have not eaten bear... for breakfast. However, growing up in Kitigan Zibi, I did eat bear meat. Once.”
Jay hopes to inspire other indigenous artists and storytellers to aspire to big projects as well. “Believe in yourself and your vision. You have a unique take on your world that no one can deliver as well as you.”
Odjick is also passionate about revitalizing and preserving indigenous languages. Because of that, Scholastic published Bear for Breakfast in dual-language editions, featuring Anishinaabemowin alongside English and French.
Dave Whamond
Dave Whamond Content
Dave Whamond is an award-winning illustrator and cartoonist. He has illustrated more than 45 picture books, including the Oddrey series and My Think-a-ma-Jink. His syndicated cartoon strip Reality Check is now in its 20th year and is featured in newspapers around the world.
When his kids were young, Dave read Robert Munsch books to them and imagined one day illustrating them himself. That dream came true with the book Braids!, which won the Reuben Award for Best Illustrated Book from the National Cartoonists Society and the Rainforest of Reading Award. Dave has tremendous fun illustrating Robert Munsch books, including School Rules!, Think Big! and the new editions of the classics Aaron’s Hair and Get Out of Bed! Dave lives in Calgary, Alberta. Learn more about Dave at www.davewhamond.com.
