Illustrator Interviews
It's time to get to know your favorite (or soon to be favorite) illustrators by reading our exclusive interviews! Get ready to feast your eyes on some truly super artwork.
Artwork is a very important part of children’s books, especially picture books and graphic novels, and now many chapter books too. When you read an illustrator interview on The Children’s Book Review, you’ll often get an insiders look or a behind the scenes visit of the illustrator’s studio and creative process. You could also learn how the illustrator’s own life experiences shaped their artwork and storytelling abilities, or what their most used art supply is, or which children’s book character they would love to create artwork with. With so many featured illustrators, there is certainly something for everyone here, but we wonder which illustrators will be or are your faves. Be sure to let us know through our Twitter handle, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram or Facebook with #thechildrensbookreview.
To get you started, here are some of our more recent illustrator interviews:
Illustration Inspiration: Renée Graef, Illustrator of Thérèse Makes a Tapestry
Caldecott Honor-Winning John Rocco Talks About Blizzard
Deborah Underwood and Claudia Rueda Discuss Here Comes the Easter Cat
Be sure to peruse through the illustrator interviews below, you’ll be so glad you did!
This Way, Charlie. It’s a wonderful friendship story between a blind horse and a grumpy goat written by Caron Levis.
LAUREN O’HARA is an illustrator from the north of England. As a child she loved reading fairy tales, painting insects, and listening to her grandmother’s stories.
Yoko Tanaka has illustrated novels, including The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo, and picture books, including Princessland by Emily Jenkins and Sparrow Girl by Sara Pennypacker.
Work It, Girl is an empowering series of biographies featuring modern women in the world of work, from designers and musicians to CEOs and scientists.
Which five words best describe The Heart of a Whale?
Anna Pignataro: Hopeful, heart-warming, soulful, magical, comforting.
Ged Adamson’s picture books include A Fox Found a Box; Douglas, You Need Glasses!; Shark Dog!; Ava and the Rainbow (Who Stayed); and Bird Hugs!
Bill Cotter is the author and illustrator of the bestselling Don’t Push the Button! series, now with over 1 million copies sold worldwide.
Which five words best describe You Loves Ewe?
Cece Bell: Love. Silly. Homonyms. Confusion. Persnickety.
Carin Berger, The Pen and Ink Brigade’s fearless leader, and Salina Alko, the expert of extras, discuss the art show, how The Pen and Ink Brigade came to be, and what this pink community means to them.
See Xindi Yan’s sketches and the process of creating the artwork for The Itty-Bitty Witch.