Superlative 2019 Illustrated Children's Books
- Bruce Handy, a journalist and critic and the author of “Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult.”
- Jessica Cline, supervising librarian in the Picture Collection of the New York Public Library.
- Jillian Tamaki, the Book Review’s By the Book illustrator and a past winner of the award. She is the author and illustrator of several graphic novels and the picture book “They Say Blue.”
Sydney Smith lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Small in the City published by Neal Porter Books, is an imprint of Holiday House. The story is set in Toronto. Fun Fact: Town Is by the Sea, illustrated by Smith is a 2017 Best Illustrated Children's Book. | Another written and illustrated by Christian RobinsonChristian Robinson lives in San Francisco, California in a converted warehouse. Another is published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. Fun Fact: Leo: A Ghost Story was recognized a 2015 Best Illustrated Children's Book. |
Brian Cronin was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. He now lives in New York. The Lost Cousins is published by Viking Books for Young Readers. Fun Fact: Cronin has created several Lost titles including The Lost Christmas, The Lost Picnic, The Lost House. | Sven Völker, German Professor of Art and Design. A Million Dots is published by British publisher, Cicada Books. Fun Fact: There's a Little Black Spot on the Sun Today is a collaboration: "King of Pain" lyrics by Sting and illustrations by Völker. |
Isabelle Arsenault is a Canadian illustrator living in Montreal, Quebec. Just Because is published by Candlewick. Fun Fact: Migrant (2011) and Jane, the Fox, and Me (2013) are New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books. | Beatrice Alemagna is from Bologna, Italy. Child of Glass is published by Enchanted Lion Books. Fun Fact: Alemagna's On a Magical Do-Nothing Day is a 2017 New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book. |
Leo Timmers was born in Belgium. Monkey on the Run is published by Gecko Press in New Zealand. Fun Fact: Timmers is currently developing an animated TV series based on his work. Shinsuke Yoshitake, born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan illustrates children's books and essays. The Boring Book is published by Chronicle Books. Fun Fact: Yoshitake also creates comics. | Ximo Abadía, illustrator and graphic designer, lives and works in Madrid, Spain. The Farmer is published by Holiday House. Fun Fact: His work was selected for the Bologna Children's Illustrator's Exhibition in 2017. Jin Xiaojing is an illustrator based in New York City. I Miss My Grandpa is published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Fun Fact: Printed in a bilingual format with Chinese translations and Mandarin pinyin transliterations. |
Art in the Making | Art History |
Visit this year's award-winning artists at work. |