About
Sugar Apple Books creates diverse children’s books aimed at early readers. Founder Valdene Mark encourages stories with a focus on promoting imagination, encouraging resilience, and teaching children how to navigate feelings and emotions. Our authors hail from the Caribbean and African diaspora and strive to spread joy and share a love of quality books with young readers all around the world.
Meet Founding Author
Valdene Mark is a Vincentian writer, an M.Ed. in Higher Education graduate, and the founder of Sugar Apple Books. Her titles include debut Jade Braves the Dark, and Under the Mango Tree. Valdene’s stories, inspired by her childhood in the Caribbean, promote imagination and help children explore their feelings. Valdene now lives in the USA, with her husband and two children.
Meet Author
Hayden Billingy is a Vincentian Environmentalist, International Recording artist, Producer, Author, Actor, Philanthropist, and Entrepreneur. He holds a BSc. in Forest Engineering and MSc. in Natural Resource and Environmental Management with a specialization in Applied Meteorology. Flippity Floppity Wing is his first children’s title.
Meet Author
Cassidy Gavin has always had a passion for creating, whether that be in the form of art, craft projects, or storytelling. She began writing and illustrating children's books in high school. Her studies at Eastern Illinois University and abroad in India and Costa Rica inspired her to pursue a career working with children and creating imaginative stories that capture readers' eyes from all over. Cassidy’s picture book But Why? was released in 2023.
Meet Illustrator
Sawyer Cloud is a freelance illustrator, fashion designer, and author. She has work experience in the education and creative fields but found visual artistry to be her true calling. Previously a full-time artist with Chicago-based Tgosketch Illustration, she is now represented by the Advocate Art agency. Sawyer is the illustrator of several children’s book titles, including Jade Braves the Dark and Under the Mango Tree by Valdene Mark and Dear Mama’s Loving Arms by Ceece Kelley. Her work has also been featured on popular blogs Bored Panda and All City Canvas. Sawyer lives in Antananarivo, Madagascar, with her family and two pets Potter and Arya.
Meet Illustrator
Julia Sarapata de Carvalho is a children's book Illustrator, a wife, and a little boy's mom. With her works, she wants to take you and your little ones on a wonderful journey through different worlds and tell stories and wonders filled with mysteries and magic. Working with passion and a mission for creating colorful and detailed illustrations, she lives with her loving family in Warsaw, Poland. She uses Procreate on Ipad Pro for digital illustrations and traditional ones, watercolors, colored pencils, oil pastels, or gouache. Her debut titles include Kitchi: The Spirit Fox, written by Alana Robson and Sidivana, and the Two Birds, written by Nina M. Francisco. Julia is the illustrator for Hayden Billingy’s debut children’s title and has an upcoming publication by a major Polish publishing house.
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Meet Illustrator
Olusayo “Ajet” Ajetunmobi is a multidisciplinary artist and storyteller. She has much experience (and fun) working on children’s books. Sometimes, she makes visual art for grownups. Sometimes, she creates folktales to compensate for ancient oral African stories lost. More often, she illustrates books for other people. She loves to make art for African children most of all. She aims to make them feel seen and proud of who they are. Ajet is the illustrator of our title, But Why? released in 2023.
Meet Editor
Apryl Wilson is a contracted editor based in Southern Maryland that specializes in developmental editing and proofreading. She has a B.A. in Writing, Literature, and Publishing, and is currently working as a Technical Editor for the Navy. Apryl's passion lies in reading and editing children and adult fiction.