Sarah Gonzales (BDes '15, VCD) was recently awarded the Ezra Jack Keats Award for Outstanding New Illustrator for her work on The Only Way to Make Bread, written by Cristina Quintero and published by Tundra, an imprint of Random House Canada. The award is given to early career authors and illustrators for excellence in portraying the multicultural nature of the world. It is also a finalist for the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award for books published in 2023, to be announced on March 30.
Sarah also received the following awards:
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2024 Notable Children’s Books from The Association for Library Services (ALSC) for Mirabel’s Year written by Michelle Sterling
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2024 Notable Children’s Books from The Association for Library Services (ALSC) for The Only Way to Make Bread, written by Cristina Quintero and Illustrated by Sarah Gonzales
Other alumni from Alberta University of the Arts have also been recently recognized for their illustrations in children's books:
Lincoln Agnew (BDes ’99, VCD and BDes ’05, Photography)
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Superbaby, written by Stephanie Ledyard and illustrated by Lincoln Agnew, was published in October 2023.
Joy Ang (BDes ‘07, VCD)
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Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, written by T. T. Sutherland and illustrated by Joy Ang, was published in October 2023.
Olga Barinova (BDes '17, VCD)
- Bear in the Family written by Eric Walters and illustrated by Olga Barinova received the Silver Birch Express Award for 2023.
Byron Eggenschwiler (BDes ’08, VCD)
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Waking Ben Doldrums, written by Heather Smith and illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler, is a finalist for the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award for books published in 2023. The winner will be announced on March 30.
Renata Liwska (Dip ’96, VCD)
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Bunny Should Be Sleeping, written by Amy Hest and illustrated by Renata Liwska, was released March 2024. It has received positive reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and Wall Street Journal.
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Winter, A Solstice Story, written by Kelsey E. Gross and illustrated by Renata Liwska, was published in October 2023. The sequel, Summer, A Solstice Story, comes out in May 2024.
Julie Morstad (BFA ’04, Fibre)
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A Rose, a Bridge, and a Wild Black Horse: The Classic Picture Book, Reimagined, written by Charlotte Zolotow and illustrated by Julie Morstad, will be released in March 2024.
Dena Seiferling (BDes ’99, VCD)
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The Couch in the Yard, written by Kate Hoefler and illustrated by Dena Seiferling, will be published in 2025.
Kim Smith (BDes ’08, VCD)
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Whose Prints?, written by Kari Allen and Illustrated by Kim Smith, was the winner of the 2023 Cybil Awards for Best Board Book.
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Bakers Makers, written and illustrated by Kim Smith, was published by Harper Collins and released January 2024.
Jillian Tamaki (BDes ’03, VCD)
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Jillian Tamaki represented Canada at the 51st Festival International De La Bande Dessinée in D’Angouleme, France.
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Roaming, written by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, appeared on over 20 Best of 2023 lists.
Lauren Tamaki (BDes ’11, VCD)
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Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams’s Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration, written by Elizabeth Partridge and illustrated by Lauren Tamaki, won the 2023 Robert F. Sibert Medal for the most distinguished informational book for children published in 2022.
Dave Whamond (Dip ’87, VCD)
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The revised edition of Get Out of Bed!, written by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Dave Whamond, was released in January 2024.
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Hugo’s Haunted Handbook by Dave Whamond will be released in March 2024.
Azby Whitecalf (BDes, ’20, VCD)
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We Belong to the Drum, written by Sandra Lamouche and illustrated by Azby Whitecalf, won the 2024 Colorado Libraries for Early Learning (CLEL) Bell Award.
Are we missing anyone or information? Please let us know at communications@auarts.ca
