Born in 1955, Slovenian artist and children's book author Lilijana Praprotnik Zupančič, who publishes under the name "Lila Prap," studied architecture at the Ljubljana Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering, and worked as a graphic designer for a number of years. Her debut title, Animal Lullabies, was published in 2000, and was soon followed by others. Her books have been translated into many languages, worldwide, and have made her one of Slovenia's most popular authors. Included in IBBY's honor list, Prap has been nominated for a number of international children's books awards, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, and the Astrid Lindgren Prize. In Slovenia, she has been awarded the Levstik Prize, the Most Beautiful Book Prize, and the Original Slovenian Picture Book Prize.