Based in New Orleans, Karen Konnerth's extensive experience as world traveling, professional puppeteer became the foundation for her award winning specialization in arts integrated teaching, as well as visual storytelling through writing and illustration for children. She has shared her countless hours of classroom experience developing and implementing arts integrated projects with educators at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and for the U.S. Embassy English Language Specialist Program in Central America, Asia, the Middle East, and South Africa. She writes fantasy and magical realism style picture books supporting the imagination, intelligence, and strengths of children in their own worlds. She illustrates her work using colorful, hand decorated paper collage.