Mary José-Butler is an author-illustrator. From a very young age, her mother inspired her to read, craft stories, and create art. Her studio is aptly named Fae Forest since she believes in fairies, chooses to see magic in the ordinary, and is convinced that glitter makes the world a better place.
When she worked as an early childhood educator and a reading specialist, Mary strove to match readers with books that would engage them in the hope that seedlings of literacy, like the ones lovingly nurtured by her mother, would take root. As an educator, Mary saw firsthand just how critical resilience is to a child’s development and well-being. Thus, the idea for the picture book Mimi’s Mixed-Up Magic: The Power of Resilience was born, a growth mindset story in which a budding wizard struggles to learn magic.
― Beatrix Potter