about
About the Creators
Dr. Darian Wappel
(Doctor by Day, Rhyming Vigilante by Night)
By day, Dr. Darian Wappel is a medical consultant, elder care expert, and someone you’d definitely want around during a global crisis. But by night?
He writes about bats who kick butt and rhyme while doing it. With a Doctorate of Medicine, a flair for storytelling, and a deep love for both logic and lunacy,
Darian decided that the only logical next step in life was writing a rhyming, ninja-themed bat adventure. Obviously.
He’s also the co-creator of the award-winning short film GUN, which proves he can tackle serious topics with grace—and then immediately pivot into writing a poem about a fruit-fueled rescue mission. Darian brings the heart to this story, the structure, and at least 60% of the emotional bat content. He’s fluent in five languages and somehow still finds ways to sneak new bat puns into each one.
Ivan Nedeljkovic
(Audio-Visual Alchemist with a Master’s in Mayhem)
Ivan has done a little bit of everything: running festivals, managing restaurants, consulting for clinics, and co-writing powerful short films. So naturally, it was only a matter of time before he dove headfirst into the world of ninja bats.
A master of rhythm, wit, and figuring out how to make “echolocation” rhyme with “vacation,” Ivan was the spark behind many of the book’s most playful twists and turns.
When he’s not writing rhymes that make adults snort-laugh and kids chant them from treehouses, Ivan runs an audio-video studio in Belgrade. He’s equal parts creative genius and lovable chaos engine. His superpower? Turning a wild idea into something real, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt—with just enough mischief to keep you guessing.
Djordje Ilic
(Draws Faster Than His Shadow, Visual Magician, Possibly a Vampire)
Djordje is the one responsible for turning our fever dreams into full-color, high-flying, flap-tastic visual gold. Armed with pencils, a tablet, and an uncanny understanding of bat expressions, he turned cave walls into jungles, fruit into weapons, and owls into dramatic, slightly traumatized villains.
His style is vibrant, expressive, and just the right amount of unhinged—perfect for a story where bats do backflips and opossums play dead (emotionally and literally). Djordje didn’t just illustrate The Fruit Ninjas—he brought it to life.
Some say he didn’t sleep for two years. Others say he only sleeps upside down. We may never know. But what we do know is: without him, this book would be bat-less, bite-less, and far less epic.
100% Real Life Testimonials
"This book taught me the three pillars of success: stealth, snacks, and sibling loyalty. I laughed. I cried. I bought a cape."
"I was mid-snack when a tiny bat yelled ‘hi-yah!’ and rolled past me. I dropped my mango. I demand compensation."
"They didn’t just defeat me. They did it in iambic pentameter. Have you ever been rhythmically humiliated? I have."
