About Us
Our Mission
Approximately 27% of children in the United States have at least one chronic illness, and about 1 in 13 children (2 students per classroom) have food allergies. These health conditions, which can affect children's social and emotional, as well as physical, well-being, are on the rise, in the US and worldwide.
Here at Whole Wilde World Books, we are dedicated to empowering all children as they learn about their health and well-being. Our books, which explore a range of topics, from chronic conditions to food allergies and beyond, aim to educate and entertain, uniting digestible information with quirky characters and relatable narratives. Whether your child has been recently diagnosed, or whether they are a supportive sibling, cousin, or friend, we hope that our stories will help kids to feel strong and secure in themselves, be more understanding of others, practice kindness, and cultivate inclusion, now and for the rest of their lives.
Author
MG Prezioso, Ph.D.
MG is a researcher at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, where she studies how children become immersed, or absorbed, in books, as well as how literature contributes to students’ intellectual and personal development. Prior to enrolling in the doctoral program, she received her Ed.M. in Language and Literacy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and worked as a research assistant in early childhood literacy. MG holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard College in English literature.
Illustrators
DeAnna Boyer
DeAnna is a visual development artist and illustrator from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Recently, she graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Illustration and a minor in Art History. Continuing her interests in the field of illustration and storytelling, she has been selected as a National Geographic Storytelling fellowship Finalist through the 2022-2023 US Fulbright Program. There’s nothing she loves more than taking her sketchbook outside and painting the world around her. She believes there is inspiration all around us; we just have to take a moment to visualize it.
Brittanie Gaja
Brittanie is a Taiwanese-American illustrator and designer from Arcadia, California whose work has appeared in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times. She enjoys bringing stories to life through whimsical illustrations often inspired by her love of nature, travel, and yummy treats. She received her BFA in Illustration from ArtCenter College of Design.
MICAH EUBANKS
Micah is an artist specializing in concept art, illustration, and production work. He recently graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design, earning a BFA in Illustration with an emphasis in Visual Development. He has professional experience in the animation and gaming industries, previously interning as a Production Assistant at Warner Bros Animation and as a Product Designer at Las Vegas Sands, and this is his first position as a Children’s Book Illustrator. Micah became an artist to create the kind of art he wanted to see as a kid, and he’s grateful to be part of the Whole Wilde World crew to help make that dream come true! When he’s not drawing, you can usually catch him watching cartoons, playing grand strategy video games, or obsessing over his cat Luna.
Zahra Merchant
Zahra Merchant is a character designer and illustrator in her senior year at Ringling College of Art and Design. She recently completed an internship at Disney TV Animation and has prior experience interning at Disney Consumer Products and illustrating a comic for the Smithsonian museum.
Medical Advisors
Julie Barzilay, MD, MPhil
Julie is a pediatrician in Boston. She has a background in medical journalism, and is interested in the medical humanities as well as medical communication. She completed an undergraduate degree in history of science at Harvard and an MPhil in History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge before completing medical school at Stanford University School of Medicine. She likes to lead narrative writing sessions for physicians-in-training, and does quality improvement research related to childhood lead exposure. She is passionate about empowering children and families to better understand their health.
Bryan Cortez, MD
Bryan is a resident physician in emergency medicine at Stanford Health Care. He is the son of immigrant parents from Mexico and a first generation college grad & physician. His research interests include health equity and healthcare access for underserved and minority communities. Bryan holds a medical doctorate from Howard University College of Medicine and an undergraduate degree in Social Studies from Harvard College.
Betsy Prezioso
Betsy is a medical student at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. She holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard University in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology with a secondary in Folklore and Mythology. During her time between college and medical school, she worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital studying GI cancer prevention. As a medical student, she has continued to pursue her interest in GI cancer, working with a GI Surgical Oncology research group. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with the Story Initiative at Jefferson, helping kids at the Mighty Writers El Futuro after school program write their own short stories.
