Mattia was born in Cuneo, a small town surrounded by the beautiful Italian Alps. At 2-3 years old, besides eating a lot of pasta, his father (an artist in his own right!) introduced and encouraged Mattia to draw. As a result, he spent most of his time creating funny images on every surface he could find. When Mattia grew up, he decided to study illustration at the European Institute of Design (IED) in Turin. Within eight months of graduation, he landed his first Illustration job, a book titled My First Picture Dictionary for Rass Language House, Hong Kong. Mattia resides in Cuneo and when not illustrating, he enjoys playing basketball, traveling around the world, playing his bass guitar, and skiing on the Alps. Cottage Door Press is an independent publisher of high-quality children's books. Our books are designed to spark curiosity in the littlest readers and fan the flames of lifelong learning. We understand children deserve our respect. That's why we always select artwork and stories that encourage caregivers to "read up" to their little ones--exploring interests together, learning together, and giving their young minds room to grow. We also believe in creating stories that reflect the boundless possibilities of all children. We hope to create books that inspire little ones to connect, encourage them to dream, give them cause to celebrate, and allow them to see themselves beautifully reflected in the stories they read. To bring these beautiful stories to life, our diverse and talented staff collaborates with authors and illustrators from all backgrounds and nationalities. We have also partnered with multicultural brands and literacy organizations to make sure our books reflect and reach as many little ones as possible.