Karen Patkau is the award-winning author and illustrator of many books for children. Creatures Great and Small, which she wrote and illustrated, was a Shining Willow Nominee 2008 and a Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice 2007 book. The companion book, Creatures Yesterday and Today, was on the Book Sense Summer 2008 Children's Pick List. Both titles were Resource Links Best of the Years selections. The first three books in Karen's Ecosystem Series - Who Needs a Jungle? Who Needs a Swamp? Who Needs an Iceberg? - were published to much critical acclaim. Who Needs a Swamp? received a Silver Birch Express 2013 nomination and was a Green Book Festival 2012 Honor Book. Who Needs and… Iceberg? was a Green Book Festival 2013 Honor Book. Who Needs a Jungle? was chosen for the Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens 2012.