Speak Up!

About the Author

Nathan Bryon (Author) Nathan Bryon is an actor, a BAFTA nominated writer and a Sunday Time Best Selling Author, who grew up eating as much Uxbridge Road Caribbean food as his bank balance would allow. His first book Look Up! was the number 1 picture book from a debut author and illustrator in 2019 and won the Waterstones Children's book prize in 2020. Nathan's debut feature film RYE LANE which he co-wrote with Tom Melia was released in 2023. The movie was made in partnership with BFI BBC Films and Fox Searchlight and has received 16 BIFA nominations. Dapo Adeola (Illustrator) Dapo Adeola is an illustrator, author and character designer who was awarded Illustrator of the Year at The British Book Awards in 2022. Dapo rocketed into the picture book world with his greatly acclaimed illustrator debut, Look Up!, written by Nathan Bryon and published by Puffin in 2019, which won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize in 2020. Dapo illustrated My Dad is a Grizzly Bear and My Mum Is a Lioness written by award-winning author Swapna Haddow (both published by Macmillan Children's Books), and collaborated with Malorie Blackman on their picture book We're Going to Find the Monster! Dapo made his author debut in 2021 with the Puffin published picture book Hey You!- An Empowering Celebration of Growing Up Black, featuring 18 talented Black British illustrators, which also went on to win Illustrated book of the year at The British Book Awards in 2022. Dapo was announced as the winner of the inaugural Illustrator of the Year Award for The Laugh Out Loud Book Awards (the Lollies), which celebrates the best and funniest children's books in the UK and Ireland, voted for by children in 2023. Born in Britain and of Nigerian heritage, Dapo is an avid believer in the importance of equal representation in the creative arts. He currently lives in Manchester.