Mike Crowder is a children’s book author and illustrator who believes learning should never feel boring. His books are full of unusual animals, clever wordplay, colorful characters, surprising facts and just enough silliness to keep kids and grownups turning the page.

Best known for Wild About the Alphabet, Mike creates books that make learning feel like an adventure. After all, an elephant for the letter E is expected. Mike would rather introduce kids to an echidna. What started with a simple idea, animals shaped like letters, grew into a playful collection of children’s books designed to spark curiosity, encourage discovery and make reading aloud more fun for everyone.

With a BFA in Illustration from SCAD, Mike brings a visual storyteller’s eye to every page, blending expressive artwork, playful language and educational details in a way that feels fun for kids and engaging for grownups.

Mike’s stories celebrate the unexpected. From alligators and zebras to hammerhead sharks, dinosaurs and wonderfully weird creatures kids may not have met before, his books invite readers to explore the wild world around them with curiosity and a smile.

At the heart of everything Mike creates is a simple goal: to help children love learning, laugh a little and discover that books can be smart, silly and memorable all at once.