Nastya Ryabtseva is a St. Petersburg-born, Jerusalem-based writer and educator. After relocating her family from Russia to Israel in fall 2021, she struggled to find her footing. She recognized that teens who were being displaced to Israel due to the war in Ukraine were struggling too. In March 2022, Ryabtseva founded The Walks project, an initiative that strives to build community and create a safe haven for those teens. THEODORE THE HEDGEHOG FINDS A FRIEND is Nastya's first children's book.