Sylvia van Ommen studied illustration at the art academy in Kampen. Her first book Sweets was published in 2001, followed soon after by The Surprise. Both books have been translated into several languages. Sylvia produces illustrations for (picture) books and educational books, writes, and draws a daily cartoon that is posted online. She likes to observe and imagine the extraordinary in today’s seemingly ordinary daily life, in order to discover the humour and silliness in small things.