Jo Ellen Stammen is a fine artist and children's book illustrator. Stammen has illustrated over 13 published titles, including a Caldecott nomination and Christopher Award. Her illustrations have been called "softly colored but sharply perceived" and "exquisite" by the New York Times, "wonderful" by School Library Journal, and "strikingly poignant" by Publishers Weekly. Stammen was the owner proprietor of Jo Ellen Designs shop in Camden, Maine for many years. Stammen's daughter, Jessica Lee Ives, is also a Page Gallery artist.