About Us

Isabel Loen

The Writer

Born in Barcelona, Spain, Isabel spent her childhood in Mexico City. Her home was always filled with dogs and storytelling. Many evenings she’d drift off to sleep alongside one or two of the family’s pets, entranced by the artistic, lifelike images conjured up in her father’s bedtime tales. To this day, many of these fables are as vivid and vibrant as their first telling for Isabel and she is grateful to her father for encouraging a youthful imagination that greatly enriched her daily life.

Isabel’s love for words and foreign languages began in her early years as she traveled the world as a young girl. Her path around the globe continued through her time at university where she absorbed the dialects and cultures of Mexico, England, France and Japan. Many of the characters in Casilda’s Magic Tent are rooted in the local people and traditions from these places. Isabel’s passion now is to transform these fond memories into captivating narratives which expose children to international ideas and teach them about timeless issues that remain relevant in our modern times.

A few things to know about Isabel:
She is an enthusiastic sailor and can play a decent hand of mahjong.
She loves orange marmalade and has a passion for the traditional Mexican dish, Chiles en Nogada.
Her heart breaks each time she sees a helpless animal in need.

Isabel lives in Santa Barbara, California
with her 10 year-old Maltese, Tallulah Guadalupe,
the true love of her life.

Raquel Sanchez Pros

The Illustrator

Raquel was born in the vibrant city of Valencia, Spain in 1979. She studied at the French school in the city and subsequently received her BA in Industrial Design at the University of Valencia. Unsure of this career path, Raquel soon discovered the world of graphic design which sparked an unstoppable world of creativity within her. In her mid-twenties, she began exploring illustration on her own and devoted herself to her true passion.

Her illustrations connect with her inner child. She enjoys drawing monsters who are unique in the sense that they are good and live among humans and animals. When she is painting, Raquel immerses herself in a parallel dimension, where she is most happy.

Raquel absolutely LOVES animals, especially dogs. She has had them practically all her life and the periods when she didn’t, her only wish was to be a dog mom again. Loosing Cuca, her first dog who lived 17 years, was very hard for her, and she spent many years dreaming about her. This love for animals is what inspires many of her illustrations.

A few things to know about Raquel: She is most content when she is near the sea or surrounded by nature, her favorite color is yellow, and she loves food (will eat at any time).

Raquel still resides in Valencia with her husband Matias and their adorable ten-year old Jack Russell, Monk.