Karen Patkau is the award-winning author and illustrator of many books for children. The first book she illustrated was Don’t Eat Spiders by Robert Heidbreder, which won the Ezra Jack Keats Memorial Medal. Several of her other books have also won prizes including the Our Choice Award for Python Play and Dimensional Illustrators Award for her books In the Sea and Seal is Lost. She has written and illustrated two books for children, both about animals: Ringtail and In the Sea. Karen Patkau resides in Toronto.

Here are some of the awards Karen Patkau has won:
-Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice 2004 Award / Sir Cassie to the Rescue
-Applied Arts Magazine Annual Awards 2004 / Sir Cassie to the Rescue
-11th Annual Dimensional Illustrators Awards 1999, Bronze / Python Play
-Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice 1999 Award / Python Play
-3rd Annual Dimensional Illustrators Awards 1992, Bronze / In the Sea
-2nd Annual Dimensional Illustrators Awards 1991, Merit / Seal is Lost
-Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice 1987 Award / Ringtail
-Ezra Jack Keats Memorial Medal — UNICEF / USSBY, 1986 / Don’t Eat Spiders
-International Graphic Design Awards 1986: Picture Book Illustration / Don’t Eat Spiders Less