Ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to be an artist. My Air Force dad would often bring home crayons, paper, and coloring books from his TDYs. We moved around a lot when I was growing up, but I always had my art supplies and beloved books in tow. In high school my art teacher encouraged me to pursue art as a career. This, along with several scholarships and my family’s support, led me to the Rhode Island School of Design.

Since graduating with a BFA in Illustration, I’ve worked with several clients nationwide, including children’s book publishers, magazine publishers, media companies, cultural centers, and private collectors. I like to work on projects that build on my strong multicultural traditions, but also anything that lights the spark of imagination.

I often enjoy visiting schools, workshops, and conferences to talk with enthusiastic readers, writers, and artists of all ages about illustrating children’s books. Additionally, I served as Illustrator Coordinator for the Minnesota chapter of the SCBWI from 2006-2011. My husband and I recently relocated with our rescued dog back to our favorite city, Providence, RI.

On the first day of her new school, nervous Adelita learns that vegetables can have similarities and differences, as can new friends. Adelita quietly observes her teacher lead a lesson on the colors, names, and health benefits of vegetables. As the healthy-eating lesson ends, friendships expand into reading-circle time; Adelita and her classmates parallel a “rainbow of vegetables” as veggie friends. The dual message of nutrition and diversity will find its place in today’s curriculum and can augment units on food, language and culture.

My Mom’s Deployment
written by Julie LaBelle
Elva Resa Publishing, 2010
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1-934617-08-3

This 112-page activity book is an excellent resource for parents, teachers, counselors, and other caregivers to help young children feel a part of the deployment process and prepare them for what's coming next. The book features mazes, dot-to-dot, counting, matching, coloring, crafts, telling time, and other activities familiar to preschool and early elementary children. Shown within the context of common deployment and reunion topics, the activities reinforce concepts young children are already learning and offer children the opportunity to ask questions, talk about their feelings, and feel connected to their deployed parent. This version is specific to a mom’s deployment.

My Dad’s Deployment
written by Julie LaBelle
Elva Resa Publishing, 2009
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1934617076

This 112-page activity book features mazes, dot-to-dot, counting, matching, coloring, crafts, telling time, and other activities familiar to preschool and early elementary children. Shown within the context of common deployment and reunion topics, the activities reinforce concepts young children are already learning and offer children the opportunity to ask questions, talk about their feelings, and feel connected to their deployed parent. This version is specific to a dad's deployment.

Baseball on Mars / Beisbol En Marte
written by Tim Hoppey and Rafael Rivera
Arte Publico Press, 2009
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1558855212

Roberto's dad speaks in Spanish when he gets upset, and boy, is he unhappy today! His lucky chair, the one he sits in to watch his beloved New York Yankees play, is missing.  Roberto is about to take off to Mars on his home-made rocket ship, and his dad's lucky chair makes a perfect pilot's seat. During the exciting flight to Mars, Roberto helps his father rediscover his imagination. And his dad doesn't even mind that he missed the Yankees' game!

Awards and Recognition
Nominee, The Tejas Star Book Award, 2010-2011

Triangle Top: The Tale of a Troubled Tribe
written by Mark Johnson
Penelope Press, 2009
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-0981473123

Traipsing Triangle Top for tasty trumples, a tranquil tribe of Trylicans tempt a tragic tumble while trouncing on troubled terrain. Join Tweebles, Twarfers, Trollephants, and Titans as they trudge through tumultuous trails, traverse torrents of tears, and triumph over tenuous talents in this intwarfable Trylican tale.

The Antarctic Express
written by Kenneth Hite
Atlas Games, 2009
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1589781115

Late one evening after the city has gone to sleep, young Danforth boards the mysterious airplane that waits for him: the Antarctic Express bound for the South Pole. There, Professor Dyer offers the boy the chance to learn any thing he desires. The boy asks to probe the depths of the eldritch city of the Old Ones. On the way his memory is lost while fleeing from the piping shrieks of the shoggoths. On Christmas Eve, the boy finds his memory of that whistling cry returns. For you see, all who visit the Old Ones' city forever hear the sound of the shoggoths.

The Wishing Tree
written by Mary Redman
Elva Resa Publishing, 2008
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1934617021

Amanda understands her dad is making the world a better place, but it doesn't make his deployment any easier. After mulling over ways she can support her dad, Amanda creates a small wishing tree in her room, writing her hopes and prayers on yellow ribbons that she ties onto the branches. As Amanda wishes for her dad to enjoy good meals, make new friends, and return safely, the little tree comes to life with yellow ribbons of hope.

Awards and Recognition
Gold Award Winner, 2009 Mom’s Choice Awards

We Are Cousins / Somos Primos
written by Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Piñata Books, 2007
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1558854864

Cousins are friends and rivals. Cousins are funny and frustrating. But the most important thing is that cousins are family. We are Cousins / Somos primos celebrates the joy of this special family bond.

Awards and Recognition
Nominee, The Tejas Star Book Award, 2009-2010

Storm Codes
written by Tracy Nelson Maurer
Windward Publishing, 2007
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-0893170639

Storm Codes presents the sights and sounds of Great Lakes shipping in the late 1960s through seven-year-old Katy's story of hope and determination. As a fierce ice storm rips through northern Minnesota, Katy and her mother wait restlessly for her father's ship to return to their harbor in Duluth. Storm Codes vividly combines historically based illustrations with nautical terms and descriptions. Katy even creates her own secret code to help bring her father home safely.

A teaching guide is available for this book.

Awards and Recognition
Silver Award Winner, 2009 Mom’s Choice Awards; Honorable Mention, Children’s Book category, 2007 Northeastern MN Book Awards; Finalist, 2007 Foreward Magazine’s Book of the Year; Midwest Favorite, 2007 Midwest Booksellers Association; Nominee, 2007 Minnesota Book Awards; 2007 Top Six Pick of Children’s Gift Books, Hennepin County Library

Un dia con mis tias / A Day with my Aunts
written by Anilú Bernardo
Piñata Books, 2006
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1558853744

This story spills over with life, laughter, food, and music. A girl arrives at her aunts' house to spend a Saturday. She's met at the door by Tía Dulce, who soon has her in the kitchen up to her elbows in flour, making meat empanadas. As the pastries go into the oven, glamorous Tía Rosa whisks Isabel upstairs for a beauty and dress-up session. Fully made up and attired in colorful clothing, jewelry, and Rosa's high heels, the girl is ready for some dancing. It's a good thing that her energetic Tía Clara gets home just in time to give her some salsa lessons. The party leads up to the appearance of the empanadas hot out of the oven. The full-page illustrations are bold and vibrant, depicting beautiful Latinas enjoying one another's company. Recipes for empanadas de carne and picadillo are appended.

Mayte and the Bogeyman / Mayte y el Cuco
written by Ada Gonzalez
Piñata Books, 2006
ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1558854420

Mayte enjoys interacting with all of the colorful street vendors who ply their wares in her town–the produce man, the egg seller, the knife sharpener, the newspaper delivery boy. All are friendly, kind, and interesting in various ways, except for the sour and bad-tempered ice-cream man. Don Aparicio constantly mutters about naughty children who need to be taught a lesson. Mayte comes to believe that he is the Bogeyman (el Cuco) who kidnaps bad children and eats them or sells them at market. When she and her friend Pepito see the man walking down the street with a squirming bag slung over his shoulder, they assume the worst and devise a reckless plan to save the captive child in the bag. Much hilarity ensues when the Bogeyman's bag turns out to contain a couple of chickens. This fun story has an interesting enough plotline to satisfy even reluctant readers. The large illustrations depicting the various Hispanic characters in dynamic settings will also serve to draw in readers of all skill levels. The smoothly rendered text in both English and Spanish appears on the left-hand pages facing a full-bleed painting on the right.

Boon the Raccoon and Easel the Weasel
written by Bobby L. Jackson
Multicultural Publications, 2005
ages 4 to 8, find this title at your library

Boon the Raccoon is hard-working, while Easel the Weasel is lazy. Boon eagerly builds a food storehouse for the winter months with his other friends, but then a hungry Easel devises a plan to steal the food for himself. The value of hard work, honesty, and friendship is illustrated with bright, colorful animal characters in this adorable fable for young children.