Melissa Nickole is a children’s book author, illustrator, and graphic designer with a lifelong passion for storytelling and working with young minds. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on Special Education, a K–12 Preliminary Mild/Moderate Education Specialist Credential, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Intensive Sociology. With over 15 years of experience supporting children, youth, and teens—including four years as a special education teacher in California public schools—Melissa brings empathy, creativity, and playfulness to every story and design she creates.

Her books and illustrations are thoughtfully crafted to spark imagination, foster curiosity, and support learning in alignment with academic standards. From helping students build social-emotional skills to exploring new academic concepts—or simply falling in love with reading—Melissa’s work is designed to uplift, educate, and delight.

As a graphic designer, Melissa creates engaging, visually compelling content for print and digital media, blending her artistic skills with her love of storytelling to produce work that resonates with audiences of all ages.

Melissa enjoys adventuring in nature, gardening, painting, and dancing. She shares her home with two very fluffy (and lovable) dogs, Stella Bean and Bowie, and an extremely sassy calico cat named Santi—who, without question, is the boss of the house.

She believes in the power of storytelling and design to open minds, nurture a love of learning, inspire kindness, and help kids see the beauty in themselves and the world around them.