Illustrators

Christina Leist

Christina worked in advertising as an art director and graphic designer before becoming a full-time illustrator. Christina was born and raised in Germany, and now lives in Vancouver.

Cynthia Nugent

is an award-winning children's book author and illustrator. All of her books have been on the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Our Choice lists. She is currently enrolled in the MA program in Children's Literature at UBC. She lives in Vancouver with her little dog, Emma.

Geraldo Valério

has illustrated many award-winning picture books published in his native Brazil as well as Portugal, the United States and Canada. He lives in Toronto.

Grace Lin

was born in China and now lives in Boston. She is has written and illustrated many acclaimed children's books.

Gracey Zhang

Gracey Zhang is the author and illustrator of Lala's Words, for which she received the prestigious Ezra Jack Keats Award. She is also the illustrator of The Big Bath House, Nigel and the Moon and The Upside Down Hat. Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, she is now based in New York. In 2022 she was included in the New York Times/ New York Library's list of Best-illustrated Children's Books of the Year.

Julie Flett

is a Vancouver-based artist and illustrator. She is a recipient of the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize as well as a nominee for the Governor-General's Award.

Kathryn E. Shoemaker

is the illustrator of over thirty-six books for children. She lives in Vancouver, BC and teaches children's illustration at Langara College.

Laura James

is a widely exhibited, award-winning artist and illustrator of Antiguan heritage. She is best known for her illustrations for The Book of Gospels and Boonoonoonous Hair. She lives in the Bronx, New York.

Marc Mongeau

is the published author and illustrator of many children's books. He currently lives in Quebec.

Mariko Ando

was born and raised in Osaka, Japan. She is an artist and illustrator and has exhibited widely in Japan and Canada. Her work has garnered much critical acclaim. She has lived in Vancouver for many years.

Millie Balance

studied art in the Camberwell School of Art, London. She lived in Canada for many years and now lives in London.

Nahid Kazemi

Nahid Kazemi is an artist, illustrator and graphic designer. She has published many award-winning children’s books, and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award and the 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Her recent publications include 'Over the Rooftops', 'Under the Moon' and 'The Old Woman'. She has exhibited her work around the world. Nahid lives in Montreal.

Philippe Béha

is an internationally acclaimed artist. He studied fine arts in Strasbourg, France. A member of the prestigious Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, he has illustrated more than 100 books for children. He lives in Montreal.

Pulak Biswas

is one of India's most celebrated illustrators. He has received many awards for his illustrations, including the Grand Prix from the Biennale of Illustrations, Bratislava, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Illustrators & Writers, New Delhi.

Rae Maté

has always loved making pictures. She has been painting and showing her work professionally since she graduated from Emily Carr College of Art and Design in 1986. Rae also enjoys teaching art to preschoolers, and she divides her painting time between her home studios in Vancouver and Hornby Island BC.

Shaoli Wang

Born and raised in Qing Dao, China, Shaoli Wang has won great acclaim for her paintings and has exhibited widely. She now lives in British Columbia where she teaches art to children. Her book Bamboo (Tradewind Books) was shortlisted for the BC and Yukon Book Prize.

Sima Elizabeth Shefrin

Sima Elizabeth Shefrin's international community art project, The Middle East Peace Quilt, toured North America for ten years. Shortlisted for the Christie Harris Prize for 'Abby's Birds' (Tradewind), Sima Elizabeth Shefrin has also provided the charming illustrations for former primary school principal Vi Hughes' 'Once Upon a Bathtime' and 'Jewish Fairy Tale Feasts'. She lives with her husband on Gabriola Island.

Stefan Czernecki

was born in a refugee camp in Germany and now lives in a small glass apartment one hundred and fifty feet above the ground. For inspiration he travels to faraway places like Tokyo, Mexico City, New York and Marrakesh. Sometimes he just takes a walk around the block. A number of his books are inspired by folk art and set in other countries. He won the Aesop Accolade, the American Folklore Society Award, in 1997.

Yayo

Yayo is the author and illustrator of many children’s books, including 'If I Had a Million Onions' and 'The Mysterious Stones' for Tradewind Books. He lives in Quebec. He won many awards for his artwork including the Charles Biddle Award , the Concours Lux.