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MEET THE CREATIVE FORCES BEHIND GLOBAL FUND FOR CHILDREN BOOKS

John D. Ivanko

Coauthor and photographer, Back to School, Be My Neighbor, Come Out and Play, and
To Be a Kid
Coauthor, Animal Friends and To Be an Artist

An award-winning author, freelance writer, and photographer, John D. Ivanko has traveled the world to learn more about living in harmony with the wondrous ecological diversity and varied tapestries of peoples and cultures. He can sometimes be spotted walking through towns and villages wearing a big red backpack.

John is the coauthor and photographer of six children's books, including the award-winning To Be a Kid, To Be an Artist, Be My Neighbor, Back to School, and Animal Friends. He also coauthored Come Out and Play and has contributed photographs to numerous Global Fund for Children books. With his wife, Lisa Kivirist, he wrote Rural Renaissance: Renewing the Quest for the Good Life, an inspiring and practical book about sustainable living, renewable energy, and organic growing, and he also authored The Least Imperfect Path, an adult travelogue about his journeys around the world. John’s photography and writing has been featured in Wisconsin Trails, Mother Earth News, E–The Environmental Magazine, Hobby Farms, Islands, Natural Home & Garden, and in numerous children’s textbooks.

“I'm inspired by the world around me,” says John. “From the children who have taken my hand to guide me through their ancient cities, to swimming in bioluminescent waters of the Caribbean, the magic of this planet and its peoples have drawn me in. The preservation of diversity and, in many cases, the restoration of biological health are what guides my writing and photography, as well as my hands-on work on our farm.”

When not traveling, John and Lisa manage a number of creative endeavors from their small organic farm and award-winning bed-and-breakfast, Inn Serendipity, in Browntown, Wisconsin—which is among the “top 10 eco-destinations in North America.” Their home is completely powered by renewable energy. The duo also regularly contribute to projects for the nonprofit organization Renewing the Countryside. They share their farm with their son, Liam, and millions of ladybugs.