Heidi Yates is a children’s book author and illustrator who creates whimsical, witty, and occasionally spine-tingling stories. She has a particular weakness for mythical creatures, as seen in her ‘deboo’ picture book, MONSTER MANNERS A to Z (Beaming Books 2026).

Heidi received her BFA from The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. She is an active member of SCBWI as well as Julie Hedlund’s 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, and was honored to be a 2021 #PBChat mentee under author Josh Funk.

Heidi splits her time among the lush green forests of Oregon, the sunny Arizona desert, and the packed aisles of bookstores everywhere. When she’s not reading a story, she is usually creating one. Inspiration is all around. It doesn’t matter if she’s hiking, biking, or taking nature photos, Heidi can always find a seed for a story.