Charis Papalas was born in Greece and raised abroad, but his heritage has never strayed far from his heart. In ancient Greece, reading the stars was a privilege reserved for kings and the wealthy. Today it belongs to everyone, and zodiac signs are still a warm, everyday part of Greek life. Charis grew up inside that world: sun and moon signs traded over dinner, horoscopes on the morning news, and family rituals tied to the calendar of the stars.

These days he lives in London and works in advertising, though his heart has always been in storytelling. The Zodiac Tales, his picture-book series with a different animal hero for every star sign, is where those two worlds meet. Each story turns a sign's traits into a small, big-hearted adventure, weaving Greek myth, personality, and gentle life lessons into books that let children see a little of themselves on the page, whatever month they were born in.

When he is not writing, you will probably find Charis rollerblading along the Thames, lost in a sci-fi novel, or cheerfully convincing his friends that they are, in fact, behaving exactly like their star sign.