Illustrator Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata) lives in Wellington, New Zealand with the author Sacha Cotter, their family and a vast hoard of picture books. 

Together with Sacha, they form the storytelling / songwriting / award-winning picture book-making team, Cotter & Morgan.

Josh grew up in the mighty Manawatū, spending his school days drawing silly things in the back of his exercise books. 

By day Josh works as a visual designer. By night, he works as a freelance illustrator creating pictures for books, TV and animation. He still draws silly things as an adult too, but mostly on bills and meeting notes. 

His illustrations are largely created digitally, drawing over scanned textures in Photoshop. His ultimate aim is to emulate the charm and quirkiness of the classic picture books and animations he grew up with and still loves.

Keys / Ngā Kī, The Marble Maker / Te Kaihanga Māpere, The Bomb / Te Pohū, and Dazzlehands / Ringakōreko are all illustrated by Josh Morgan, published by HUIA, written by Sacha Cotter and translated by the very talented Kawata Teepa.

Josh’s other work with HUIA include illustrating the junior fiction chapter book  Rona  by Chris Szekely; the vibrant Māori language maps Tōku Ao and Tōku Whenua: Aotearoa, and their companion activity books, and various educational resources. He has also illustrated for the Te Reo Sing Along series of books and for the School Journal and other related publications. 

Before illustrating for the publishing world, Josh picked up a bachelor of design at Massey University and cut his teeth illustrating and designing gig posters and album covers for various bands, including his own bands The Dissentors and Creaky Drawers.