About Wendy Ann Gardner
Originally from London, Ontario, Canada, Wendy Ann Gardner began her career as a painter. She studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, and in 1985 moved to New York City.
In 1997 she formed her company, SCARY STORIES INC, and began selling her plush toys, Dig Ivan Dig, Heedley Pecked Me in The Eye, and all the other Naughty Naughty Pets characters, which have been sold in boutiques, design stores, gifts shops, and art museums throughout the world. Her unique graphics have been commissioned by many companies, notably, Target, Nylabone, and Paul Frank Industries, for use as logos, branding and character art. Her illustrations of the Naughty Naughty Pets, have been licensed worldwide to create various products including, children’s clothing, books, stationery, lollipops, stickers, greeting cards, pet toys, watches, wallets, fashion bags, t-shirts and pajamas.
Her series of four children’s books were published by Hyperion Books For Children in 2002, and in 2006 the animated TV series, THE NAUGHTY NAUGHTY PETS, aired on Cartoon Network, CBC Canada, BBC UK, NHK Japan and was syndicated worldwide. She has been featured in popular and industry publications such as In Style, The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, National Post, Fortune Small Business, The New York Times, New York Magazine, Playthings Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, Working Mother, and Elle Décor.
She is the author and composer of the children’s musical, WINDYWOO AND HER NAUGHTY NAUGHTY PETS, which was performed at the New York Musical Theater Festival in 2015, and was part of the Summer Family Series at the Legacy Theatre in Branford, CT in 2023. Her musical, YES, A CAT NAMED MARTY COHEN, based on her children’s book of the same name, recently debuted in the Amas- Dare To Be Different Festival in 2025.
She is a member of the Dramatist Guild, ASCAP and ACTRA and a Board Member of All Out Arts/ Fresh Fruit Festival. Wendy is currently a student in the MA Visual Arts Education program at Hunter College and is working on a new musical about the complex love lives of chickens, called Bumblefoot. Wendy lives in New York City with her husband, her two children and her real life Naughty Naughty Pets.
Contact Info:
wendy@scarystories.com