Marjorie van Heerden grew up on a farm near De Doorns in the Hex River Valley, South Africa. From an early age she loved drawing animals and people. They appear in all shapes and sizes in the more than 95 published books that feature her work. She has illustrated children’s books published in 33 languages.

Marjorie and her husband lived in Stellenbosch near Cape Town for 20 years, in Linden, Johannesburg for a decade, travelled for eighteen months on honeymoon in a camper van around Europe, lived for a year on the banks of Lake Michigan in the USA and for four years in a forest on a mountain north of Athens in Greece. From each of these places she drew inspiration for her menagerie of animals, fairies, dragons, monsters, people and others.

Since returning to South Africa in 2003 she has once again become very active in the local children’s literature scene, regularly giving talks and workshops and organising events. She established a South African chapter of the international SCBWI and is currently its co-regional advisor (www.scbwi.za.org).

Marjorie is an M-Net/Via Afrika Literary Award Winner: In June 2008 the M.E.R Prize for best illustrated children’s book of the year 2007 was awarded to Wendy Hartmann (author) and Marjorie van Heerden (illustrator) for Nina and Little Duck, published by Human & Rousseau (SA). It is also available in Afrikaans as Nina en Eendjie.

Marjorie now lives with her husband next to the sea in Gordon’s Bay near Cape Town. Their two children are grown up and also live in the Cape.

Her studio is in the loft and it has windows overlooking False Bay. While she continues writing and illustrating her books Marjorie now enjoys a wonderful view of the ocean near her place of birth.