Tundra Illustrator Gift Guide 2018

The Tundra Illustrator Gift Guide is back! Last year, we were inspired by Travis Jonker’s The Ultimate Children’s Literature Illustrator Gift Guide 2017 so we decided to make an updated version featuring Tundra’s illustrators from 2018! Once again, we have something for everyone from some of the best children’s book illustrators in the world – treat your family and friends (or yourself!) to a beautiful piece of art this holiday season.

Shop Anne Arrives and Abigail’s artwork

Abigail Halpin is an illustrator living in southern Maine, a few miles from the sea. Her illustrations are a blend of traditional and digital media, mixing watercolor, ink, pencil and more. She has created illustrations and lettering for a range of clients including Galison/Mudpuppy, Simon & Schuster, Disney Publishing, Random House, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Penguin Books. Inspired by vintage textiles, all things Slavic, mystery novels, the ocean and long-forgotten ephemera, Halpin also creates mixed media artwork that blends drawing and embroidery, portraiture and needlework.

Shop Hedgehog and Ashlyn’s artwork

Ashlyn Anstee grew up in a rainy city in Canada and then settled in a sunny city in the United States. She works as a story artist at JibJab/StoryBots, and in her spare time, makes tiny things out of paper. She writes, draws, illustrates, animates and is the creator of the books No, No, Gnome! and Are We There, Yeti? Ashlyn has never hogged a hedge, but she does live by herself in Los Angeles, California.

Shop Peanut Butter and JellySuper Narwhal and Jelly Jolt; and Ben’s artwork

Ben Clanton is an author and illustrator whose picture books include Mo’s Mustache; Rot, the Cutest in the World!; Boo Who?; It Came in the Mail; Something ExtraordinaryRex Wrecks It! and Vote for Me! He lives with his family in Tacoma, Washington.

Shop The Golden Glow and Benjamin’s artwork

Benjamin Flouw graduated from a CG animation school in France and moved to London to create backgrounds for Cartoon Network’s show The Amazing World of Gumball. He is now based in Paris where he works as a freelance designer and illustrator for films and advertisements, with clients such as VarietyMartha Stewart Living and American Express. His influences run from mid-century illustrators like Miroslav Sasek and Mary Blair to 90’s low-poly video games. The Golden Glow is the first picture book he has both written and illustrated.

Shop Red Sky at Night and Elly’s artwork

Elly MacKay is a paper artist and a children’s book author and illustrator. She wrote and illustrated the picture books If You Hold a SeedShadow Chasers and Butterfly Park, among others. She studied illustration and printmaking at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Her distinctive pieces are made using paper and ink, and then are set into a miniature theatre and photographed, giving them their unique three-dimensional quality. Elly lives in Owen Sound, Ontario, with her husband and two children.

Shop The Adventures of Miss Petitfour and Emma’s artwork

Emma Block is the author and illustrator of Tea and Cake and has illustrated several books for children. She has worked for clients including Blue Apple, Harper Collins, Orla Kiely, UNIQULO, Anthropologie, Time Out and Hallmark. She likes charity shops, tea and very sharp pencils. Her art is inspired by the people she meets in her everyday life, old photos, vintage clothes, travel, 1950s illustration and 1930s jazz.

Shop The Pink UmbrellaGoodnight, Anne; and Geneviève artwork

Born and raised in Quebec, Geneviève Godbout studied traditional animation in Montreal and at the prestigious Gobelins school in Paris. She is the illustrator of a number of books for children, including The Pink UmbrellaWhen Santa Was a Baby, Kindergarten Luck(Chronicle) and Joseph Fipps (Enchanted Lion). Some of her clients include The Walt Disney Company, Chronicle, HMH, Flammarion, Bayard, Les éditions Milan and La Pastèque. She also works for clothing designers like Nadinoo and Mrs. Pomeranz, creating illustrations and prints for their collections.

Shop Too Much! Not Enough! and Gina’s artwork

Once upon a time, Gina Perry picked wild blueberries, floated on lakes in her inner tube and was always on the lookout for a real moose in the woods. Now she writes and illustrates books for young readers from her New Hampshire home, where she lives with THREE monsters: her husband and two kids. She is still on the lookout for moose.

Shop The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray and Janet’s artwork

Janet Hill’s work is both elegant and whimsical, often with an underlying narrative that instantly captures the imagination. Her painting style evokes a sense of nostalgia, mystery, humor and comfort. Her work is displayed in private collections throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Some of Janet’s corporate clients include Tiffany & Co., Hallmark UK and Harper Collins. Her work has also been featured in Uppercase MagazineMatchbook MagazineDesign SpongeThis Is GlamorousThe Neo-Traditionalist and Oh Joy! Her first picture book was Miss Moon: Wise Words from a Dog Governess, and she illustrated the cover of the middle-grade novel, The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray. Janet lives in Stratford, Ontario, where she paints in a small in-house studio and lives with her husband, John, an independent bookseller, and their cat and dog.

Shop Tilly and Tank and Jay’s artwork

Jay Fleck is a designer and illustrator based in Shorewood, IL. He is the illustrator of the picture books Double Take!Black Belt Bunnyand Everything You. His artwork has been featured on products at the GAP, on Threadless and on the front page of Society6.com, as well as a number of other brick-and-mortar and internet stores. Tilly and Tank is the first picture book he has both written and illustrated.

Shop Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes and Joe’s artwork

Joe Morse is an artist living in Toronto, Ontario. Known for his portraits of celebrities and sports stars, his work has been commissioned by Universal Pictures, Nike, Major League Baseball, Rolling StoneEntertainment WeeklyThe New York Times and The Guardian, and has won over 200 international awards. The picture books he has illustrated include Casey at the Bat, which was nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Illustration; Play Ball Jackie! and Hoop Genius. He is the Coordinator of the Bachelor of Illustration program at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario.

Shop Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein and Júlia’s artwork

Júlia Sardà is an artist who has illustrated many books for children, including The Liszts by Kyo Maclear, and number of classics such as Alice in WonderlandThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Her work has been published around the world in many languages. She lives in Barcelona, Spain.

Shop Dr. Jo: How Sara Josephine Baker Saved the Lives of America’s Children and Julianna’s artwork

Julianna Swaney is an illustrator, designer, and fine artist whose work is inspired by themes of imagination, whimsy, and melancholy. Her books include Mermaid SchoolI Will Always Be Your Bunny, and Dr. Jo. Julianna studied printmaking at Maine College of Art and currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

Shop BloomJulia, ChildThis is Sadie; and Julie’s artwork

Julie Morstad is an author, illustrator, and artist living in Vancouver. Her books have all received great acclaim; most recently, How To was a 2013 Governor General’s Award finalist and received starred reviews in Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal.

Shop Megabat and Kass’s artwork

Kass Reich works as an artist and educator and has spent the majority of the last decade travelling around the world. She earned a degree in Art Education from Concordia University and was an early childhood educator in Beijing, which inspired her to start making picture books for very young readers. She now lives and works in Toronto, Ontario.

Shop If a Horse Had Words and Lucy’s artwork

Lucy Eldridge is a traditional artist who works primarily in watercolor and gouache to create beautiful, whimsical illustrations. She finds inspiration for her work from a variety of things, including pebbles found on the beach, biscuits, origami paper, dictionaries, maps, Chinese brush painting, clouds, trees, trinkets and cats. Lucy illustrated the middle-grade novel Welcome to Nowhere by Elizabeth Laird. This is her first picture book. She is based in Brighton, UK.

Shop Trampoline Boy and Marion’s artwork

After obtaining a diploma in animation film at Les Arts Décoratifs de Paris, Marion Arbona started working as an illustrator for children’s books. In addition to drawing, she is particularly interested in deep sea fishes, cats (even though she is allergic) and weird plants. She also likes reading and watching movies. Her favorite gouache color is light cadmium red. Marion has been awarded numerous illustration prizes in the USA and Canada, where she lived for 10 years. She has illustrated over thirty books for children. Her previous picture book, The Good Little Book, garnered wide critical acclaim and was selected as a finalist for the Governor General’s award in 2015. She lives in Paris, France.

Shop Backyard FairiesSonya’s Chickens; and Phoebe’s artwork

Phoebe Wahl’s work focuses on themes of comfort, nostalgia and intimacy with nature. She grew up unschooled in Washington State, and credits her free spirited childhood in the Northwest for much of her inspiration and work ethic. She works in a variety of mediums, from watercolor and collage to fabric sculpture. Phoebe graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Illustration, and her first book, Sonya’s Chickens, won her the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. Phoebe lives in Bellingham, Washington.

Shop Tales from the Inner City and Shaun’s artwork

Shaun Tan has been illustrating young adult fiction and picture books for more than ten years. His brilliant wordless book, The Arrival, won The CBCA Picture Book of the Year, The NSW Premier’s Book of the Year, and the Community Relations Commission Award, and received a Special Mention at the 2007 Bologna Ragazzi Awards. He lives in Australia.

Shop Counting with Barefoot Critters and Teagan’s artwork

Teagan White is a freelance designer and illustrator from Chicago, now living and working in Minnesota, where she earned her BFA in Illustration from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. Her work encompasses intricate drawings of flora and fauna, playful watercolors of anthropomorphic critters, illustrated typography, and everything in between. Teagan lives in the woods across the street from train tracks and a fox den, and spends her free time scolding neighborhood squirrels, exploring forests, rivers, lakes, and swamps, picking wildflowers, and collecting animal bones.

Shop Band on the Run; Wolfie and Fly; and Zoe’s artwork

Zoe Si is a cartoonist, freelance illustrator and lawyer. She believes in the power of words, but also that wherever words fail, a mildly disparaging cartoon can usually succeed. Wolfie and Fly is Zoe’s first book for kids. She lives and works in beautiful British Columbia.

Camp Penguin

Summer is almost here (the official first day is June 21, 2018) and we know some of you are gearing up for the ultimate reading experience.

If you haven’t already, visit your local bookstore – some with #CampPenguin displays already – to find the next book on the reading guide. You’ll be able to pick up a #CampPenguin poster, reading trail map, and merit badge stickers!

Black Bond Books:
Black Bond Books

Bookmark PEI:
Bookmark PEI

Kidsbooks:
Kidsbooks Camp Penguin 1Kidsbooks Camp Penguin 3

Now, all you have to do is pull out a lounge chair, pitch a tent, or set up your hammock with a cool beverage nearby as you leisurely read your favorite middle-grade books. Don’t forget to wear a hat and to apply sunscreen if you’re going to be outdoors for a long period of time!

We’re also hosting a contest where you can win 3 of the 15 hand-selected #CampPenguin titles! Continue your summer reading fun by clicking here. Good luck!

International Children’s Book Day 2018

International Children's Book Day
Since 1967, on or around April 2, Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, people around the world celebrate International Children’s Book Day to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children’s books.

We thought we’d spotlight our incredibly talented international authors and illustrators today. Here are 10 books that you should look out for:

Can You Find My Robot's ArmCan You Find My Robot’s Arm?
By Chihiro Takeuchi
ISBN 9781101919033
07/04/2017
Hardcover | Ages 2-5
Chihiro Takeuchi is a renowned paper cut artist living in Osaka, Japan. In 2015 and 2016, Chihiro was part of a select group of artists to exhibit at the prestigious Bologna Book Fair. She has created several books in Japanese. Can You Find My Robot’s Arm? is her first children’s picture book in English.

From the Heart of AfricaFrom the Heart of Africa
Collected by Eric Walters
ISBN 9781770497191
01/02/2018
Hardcover | Ages 6-9
Illustrators in this book include Joe Morse, Canada; Maaike Beker, South Africa; Eugenie Fernandes, Canada; Sindiso Nyoni, Zimbabwe; Toby Newsome, South Africa; Eva Campbell, Canada; Thomas Gonzalez, USA; Roge, Canada; Xanale Puren, South Africa; Loveis Wise, USA; Iain McIntosh, UK; Melinda Josie, Canada; Jeannie Phan, Canada; Setor Fiadzigbey, Ghana; and Eliscer Elliott, Canada.

PetraPetra
By Marianna Coppo
ISBN 9780735262676
02/06/2018
Hardcover | Ages 3-7
Marianna Coppo is an author/illustrator from Italy. She studied editorial illustration at MiMaster in Milan, and now focuses on freelance illustration in Rome. She is one of the curators of Tentacoli, an independent label which specializes in fanzines and handmade products. Petra is her first picture book.

Sakura's Cherry BlossomsSakura’s Cherry Blossoms
By Robert Paul Weston
Illustrated by Misa Saburi
ISBN 9781101918746
02/20/2018
Hardcover | Ages 3-7
Robert Paul Weston was born in Dover, England, but did most of his growing up in the small town of Georgetown, Ontario. Since then, he’s also spent time living in the US, Japan, Switzerland, and the UK. He holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia and has been nominated for the Journey Prize and the Fountain Award for Speculative Fiction. He has written several novels for young readers, including Zorgamazoo, Dust City, and Blues for Zoey. Sakura’s Cherry Blossoms is his first picture book. He currently lives in London, England.

The Adventures of Miss Petitfours - paperbackThe Adventures of Miss Petitfour
By Anne Michaels
Illustrated by Emma Block
ISBN 9780735263222
03/27/2018
Trade Paperback | Ages 6-9
Emma Block is the author and illustrator of Tea and Cake and has illustrated several books for children. She has worked for clients including Orla Kiely, UNIQLO, Anthropologie, Time Out, and Hallmark. She likes charity shops, tea and very sharp pencils. Her art is inspired by the people she meets in her everyday life, old photos, vintage clothes, travel, 1950s illustration, and 1930s jazz.

The Golden GlowThe Golden Glow
By Benjamin Flouw
ISBN 9780735264120
5/15/2018
Hardcover | Ages 4-8
Benjamin Flouw graduated from a CG animation school in France and moved to London to create backgrounds for Cartoon Network’s show The Amazing World of Gumball. He is now based in Paris where he works as a freelance designer and illustrator for films and advertisements, with clients such as Variety, Martha Stewart Living, and American Express. His influences run from mid-century illustrators like Miroslav Sasek and Mary Blair to 90’s low-poly video games. The Golden Glow is the first picture book he has both written and illustrated.

Great DogGreat Dog
By Davide Cali
Illustrated by Miguel Tanco
ISBN 9781101919170
5/29/2018
Hardcover | Ages 3-7
Davide Cali began his career in 1994 as a cartoon writer for the Italian magazine Linus. He began writing children’s books in 2000, and since then he has published over one hundred books for children, including Snow White and the 77 Dwarfs and Cinderella and the Furry Slippers. Cali has won a Bologna Ragazzi Special Award, the Switzerland Enfantaisies Prize, the Baobob Prize, the Belgium Libbylit Award, and France’s SNCF award. His books have been published in France, Italy, Austria, the United States and Canada, and translations of his books have been published in eighteen countries. Davide lives in Genoa, Italy.

Award-winning artist Miguel Tanco is a children’s book author and illustrator. He teaches illustration and organizes creative workshops for kids in Spain, where he was born and raised, and in Italy. He has published over forty children’s books including You and Me, Me and You; Les Farfelus; and The Story of Cyrano de Bergerac. He lives in Milan with his wife Federica and their two great sons, Pablo and Javier.

If a Horse Had WordsIf a Horse Had Words
By Kelly Cooper
Illustrated by Lucy Eldridge
ISBN 9781101918722
06/05/2018
Hardcover | Ages 4-8
Lucy Eldridge is a traditional artist who works primarily in watercolor and gouache to create beautiful, whimsical illustrations. She finds inspiration for her work from a variety of things, including pebbles found on the beach, biscuits, origami paper, dictionaries, maps, Chinese brush painting, clouds, trees, trinkets, and cats. Lucy illustrated the middle-grade novel Welcome to Nowhere by Elizabeth Laird. This is her first picture book. She is based in Brighton, UK.

Mary Who Wrote FrankensteinMary Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Júlia Sardà
ISBN 9781770495593
08/28/2018
Hardcover | Ages 5-8
Júlia Sardà is an artist who has illustrated many books for children, including The Liszts by Kyo Maclear, and number of classics such as Alice in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Her work has been published around the world in many languages. She lives in Barcelona, Spain.

Cover Coming SoonTales from the Inner City
By Shaun Tan
ISBN 9780735265202
10/02/2018
Hardcover | Ages 12+
Shaun Tan is an artist and author living in Melbourne, Australia. He has written and illustrated numerous acclaimed books that have enjoyed tremendous crossover appeal, including The Arrival, The Red Tree, and The Singing Bones, as well as picture books for children including The Rules of Summer. Shaun has worked as a theatre designer, a concept artist for Pixar, and has directed a short film, The Lost Thing, which won an Academy Award. He has won many awards for both individual works and his body of work, including a World Fantasy Award for Best Artist in 2001, a Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist, and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, both in 2011.

Case Covers

A few weeks back, we featured an interview between the founders of the newly minted Undies award – Carter Higgins and Travis Jonker. Now, we’re excited to share our eligible titles for the inaugural Undies:

If I Had a Gryphon_Undies
Picture Book: If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki VanSickle, illustrated by Cale Atkinson
Miss Moon_undies
Picture Book: Miss Moon, Wise Words from a Dog Governess by Janet Hill
Counting with Barefoot Critters
Picture Book: Counting with Barefoot Critters by Teagan White
The Darkest Dark_Undies
Picture Book: The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield, illustrated by the Fan Brothers

We also dipped into our back list titles to share some of the great jacket and case designs from the past few years:

This Is Sadie
Picture Book: This Is Sadie by Sara O’Leary, illustrated by Julie Morstad
Adventures with Barefoot Critters
Picture Book: Adventures with Barefoot Critters by Teagan White
Mos Mustache
Picture Book: Mo’s Mustache by Ben Clanton
Miss Petitfour.JPG
Middle Grade Novel: The Adventures of Miss Petitfour by Anne Michaels, illustrated by Emma Block

Which ones are your favorite?

Introducing Miss Petitfour

MissPetitfour01
MissPetitfour02
MissPetitfour03
MissPetitfour04
MissPetitfour05
MissPetitfour06
The Adventures of Miss PetitfourMiss Petitfour is an expert at baking and eating little cakes. She also has the most marvelous, everyday adventures. Her favorite mode of travel is by tablecloth, and on windy days she always takes her sixteen cats out for an airing.

Join Miss Petitfour and her feline companions as they embark on five magical outings, including a quest for “birthday cheddar” and a visit to the village’s annual Festooning Festival.

And if you prefer books in which nothing ever happens, books in which people (and cats) sit by the fire with buttery shortbread biscuits and steaming mugs of cocoa, books full of interesting facts that will never come in useful, and books with digressions and meanwhiles and long words and lists, then you will find plenty of that here too.

So fetch a tablecloth and turn to the first page of this book. “Sometimes, all you must do is reach out your hand for something wonderful to happen . . . “

Tundra Book Group