I am a Dutch-Canadian artist, author, and designer. I love creating stories that encourage inner resourcefulness, compassion, and self-empowerment. I have been a professional graphic designer for over 15 years, working on a wide range of projects from corporate marketing to themed attractions. I also illustrate and paint in a number of styles. My first book deal (for "One Little Bug") resulted from an art show at which some of my illustrations were noticed by the publisher Simply Read Books. Under the pen name Paola Opal, I illustrate and write the Simply Small series, published by Simply Read Books. Bold and bright, these board books feature baby animals that find clever ways to solve their not-so-small problems. The series has over 50, 000 books in print and two of the titles have been produced as apps.
