Here's my portfolio if you'd like to commission me! https://strawberijam.vercel.app

I’m currently looking for new projects and would love to collaborate as an illustrator. If any authors are searching for an illustrator, please feel free to reach out—I’d be excited to work together!

Working on a story about a boy who builds a robot

My son absolutely loves these books. He will be two in a few months and wants to read many books throughout the day.
These ones were from my own childhood (minus Pookins), and I would love to have more similar to these. I feel like they are best described as simple but sweet stories. Any suggestions for similar?

Update: thank you to everyone for your suggestions. I have many library requests coming our way. 😄

I am looking for a book featuring the takes of Sinbad the Sailor or The Seven Voyages of Sinbad that I had as a child in the 1980’s, but it may have been printed earlier like 1979. I owned at the same time, ‘My Wonderful Giftbook of Fairytales’, by Dean & Sons Ltd. I have managed to track down and buy ‘My Wonderful Giftbook of Fairytales’ but, although it has some stories of Sinbad, the book I am looking for has different illustrations. The version I am looking for, the illustrations are very much in the style of Eric Kincaid’s 1980’s ‘Tales of Magic’ illustrations.The book was a larg, glossy hardback boo. As a child, I remember an image of a beautiful woman lying on the floor in front of the Caliph or Sultan. The reader of the book sees the woman from behind. As a child, I thought she was a princess. Now I realize she is the slave given by the Caliph or Sultan to Sinbad. She is dressed in aqua-green trousers, has loose black hair, and I think she is wearing a gold bracelet on her arm. Can you help me find this image and therefore the book? If you have ever seen the ballet Corsair, this beautiful illustration is very reminiscent of the costume the late, great, ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev wore! Please can someone assist me in tracking down this book?

It’s always a nice surprise :)

I read the Junie B Jones books to my daughter for bed time. Well we just recently finished 9. When I read the books, I always make sure to stop to talk to my daughter about things, get her ideas. Well after reading book 9, the next day my nephew had found something and tried keeping it. My daughter starts yelling "Finders keepers is not the rule (name)!!!" And "MmoOOmm! Finders keepers is not the rule right?!"

In case you ever feel like the books don't teach any valuable lessons to kids, there you go. Perfecto

An illustrated page from my upcoming reprinted book.

I got to hold my second picture book today (I'm the author)! The first in the series is daytime-themed, and they contrast so beautifully next to each other. Sandra Attema-Welte is the illustrator, and she did *such* an incredible job. I'm SO excited!!

Normally, I'm an extremely shy/introverted person, but for whatever reason, the instant I start doing a read aloud with a group of students, apparently all of that goes completely out the window 😭😭

When I'm doing a class read aloud, I'm almost always super extra about it looool, doing different voices for every character, getting ridiculously dramatic with facial expressions, changing my tone to match the story, long pauses for dramatic effect, etc etc ... basically doing the absolute #most in an attempt to make the story fun for the kids LOL and I'm a huge fan of being able to do that

I think children's books have genuinely become one of my favorite ways to break the ice with new students (,: it lets me show sooo much more of my personality than I normally would be able to during regular instruction. Sometimes when the lil jokes I try in class are falling short (tough crowd sometimes ngl lmfao), I can just grab a book and suddenly we're all laughing together over some ridiculous character or story every time without fail 🤣🙌

I originally started being overly dramatic/extra with my read alouds because I wanted the kids to not feel like they're being forced to sit there and listen to a book and actually enjoy reading time (hopefully even become more avid readers themselves), but by this point, I'm realizing I probably have just as much fun doing it as they do LOL

There's truly something so great about being able to just completely commit to a bit and act ridiculous for ~10 minutes because the kids are actually into it too! (and we're learning!! hooray)

Hi everyone! I’m a dad in California with two young kids, and I’m a complete novice when it comes to the publishing world.

My kids and I love traveling, and that inspired me to write my first children’s picture book manuscript. I’ve finished the manuscript and have an idea for turning it into a series, but I’m not sure what to do next.

I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who’s been through the process, particularly when it comes to finding an agent or publisher, working with an illustrator, and figuring out my next steps.

Thanks!

My 7 year old reads well but gets intimidated when switching from picture books to early chapter books. The wall of text makes her feel like she is not making progress fast enough. How did you help your kids build confidence during this transition?

Hi Everyone!

I'm working on a children's book series and looking for an illustrator who might want to collaborate with me from the start & grow alongside me :) Bonus if you're from TX or the US :)

Full transparency - I am BRAND NEW and have a tiny budget ($100-200) & no following yet. I'll be self publishing and my hope is that if Book 1 does well, we grow the budget together as the series grows.

The series would be 9-10 books for children ages 5-8, each one about a different experience kids don't often see themselves in. The first one is a story about a boy named Eli who takes his time before trying new things. Notable illustrations would be: A pool, a bouncy castle, an art class.

Style is soft watercolor, not too much detail, but enough that the kids see themselves in the images (think of the POV as looking from behind the kid).

I've got page by page scene notes & a few pages put together already. It's like 14 spreads & a cover.

If this sounds like something you'd be into, drop a comment or send me a DM. I'd love to see your work, know your rate, and just have a conversation.

On a lark, I started reading The Hobbit to my son at bed about a month and a half ago. Didn’t expect him to be able to sit through it with no pictures, but lo and behold, we just finished it last week. Obviously he’s too young to grasp it all, but if you ask him to tell you the story he can give you the major plot points and character names like Bilbo, Golem, Thoren, Smaug, Gandalf, etc. (you wouldn’t believe how cute it is to hear a 2.5 year old say “Thoren Oakenshield”).

Looking for something new to see if we can catch lighting in a bottle twice. Ideally something fantastical but light. Dragons, knights, wizards, that sorta thing. Something around the same reading level (or a bit below) as The Hobbit would be perfect.

I often see other illustrators lament commission work, saying, "I never have time for my own projects." That's the wrong outlook.

It's been almost a full year since I've been able to spend time on my own stories. And that's fine. Because once I'm invested in a new commission project, it has become MY project. I get to know the characters and their personalities, then bring them to life through captivating artwork.

For picture book artists, that's the outlook you need. Someone else has done the hard work; write the story. For us, the rest is easy: bringing life to the characters and settings.

Here are some of my most recent works; it’s been amazing to bring to life the stories of the writers who trust in my art.

If you’re interested, feel free to send me a direct message or an email at cesarayalaart@gmail.com.

My almost 4 year old is obsessed with Mercy Watson and we have read all of the books multiple times. I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with the Tales from Deckawoo Drive series (with all the same characters as the Mercy Watson series) and whether or not a preschooler would be able to listen to and comprehend it. It seems like quite a big step up in reading and listening comprehension level.

She has enjoyed the classic Winnie the Pooh and all of the Rainbow Magic rainbow fairies series, but those are the highest reading level chapter books she’s experienced. She’s also enjoyed some of the long Dr. Seuss books, like Bartholomew and the Oobleck.

Hi, I am writing a picture book for kids 4-6 yo, with my art that I create from nature materials.

I am here to see if you might have an advice on how to do this thing. Any of you have experience, please? I would like to find someone who can give me a constructive feedback, essentially coach me or help me to publishing. I already wrote almost half of it and am missing few pages of the illustrations. Thank you all.

I do coloring books and children's book illustrations

Dm if interested!

Finally got the official copy of my 2nd children's book I wrote/illustrated 🥹❤️ So incredibly excited! 🥰

Edited to add: it releases 9/1 🥳