Meet the Magic Makers
LM Zacha
Author
LM Zacha is a child and adolescent therapist, school counselor, and mother of three adult children. With decades of experience helping young people navigate life’s emotional ups and downs, she brings warmth, insight, and professional expertise to her writing.
Be a Sunshine Maker is the first book in her empowering new series, The Little Birdies Told Me, created to help children develop the skills they need to face life’s challenges with confidence, courage, and compassion. Through relatable characters and real-life scenarios, her stories teach practical tools for problem-solving, emotional resilience, and personal growth.
She believes that all people—no matter their age—deserve to feel connected, accepted, and safe. Her mission is to plant seeds of hope and strength in the hearts of young readers, helping them grow into empowered, self-aware individuals ready to shine their own light in the world.
Ariane Elsammak
Illustrator
From a young age, Ari was enchanted by the world of children’s books and knew by the age of seven that illustration was her calling. She was deeply inspired by the humorous line drawings of Shel Silverstein, the expressive caricatures of Al Hirschfeld, and the work of countless children’s book illustrators, along with editorial cartoonists featured in The New Yorker magazine.
While raising a young family, Ari pursued her artistic education by attending night classes at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and the DuCret School of Art in New Jersey.
Animals have always held a special place in her heart. With two dogs and a horse of her own, Ari enjoys quick sketching them and observing their unique personalities and interactions. She sees them as natural-born characters, full of expression and story potential.
Ari has worked as a freelance illustrator for over 25 years. She finds joy in every part of the creative process, especially in developing characters and collaborating closely with authors to bring their whimsical stories to life.
Her portfolio and more information can be found at www.artbyari.com.
