The first week of February is Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week, an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of the writers and artists who play an integral part in the literacy journey of children worldwide.

Philadelphia’s vibrant literary community has its share of wonderful and talented children’s authors and illustrators that we are proud to highlight! Read more about these great creators and find their work in our catalog.

Brian Biggs began his career crafting comic strips for his collegiate newspaper in Texas. By 1999, he relocated to Philadelphia, where he broke into the children’s literature scene as an illustrator for authors like Katherine Applegate and Cynthia Ryland. Biggs has since proven his writing chops as the author and illustrator of the Tinyville Town and Everything Goes series.

Stan and Jan Berenstain met while studying at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art (later known as the University of the Arts) in 1941 and married in 1946. The couple already found success crafting instructional cartoons for new parents when they began work on their first children’s book under the editorial guidance of Theodore "Dr. Seuss" Geisel. In 1962, The Big Honey Hunt became a smash hit and the first entry of the wildly successful Berenstain Bears media franchise. Stan and Jan’s son Mike Berenstain, an accomplished author/illustrator, joined his parents on the Bears’ creative team in 1995 and continues to work on the series today.

Monica Carnesi worked in Materials Selection for the Free Library for over 20 years before retiring in 2024. During her time at the Library, she became an accomplished author/illustrator. Originally hailing from Brazil, Carnesi received a 2012 Bulletin Blue Ribbon for her work as author/illustrator of Little Dog Lost, the story of Baltic, a brave dog who survived a frightening encounter with an ice flow. Carnesi was published twice more in 2014 and 2022, and her passion for early education is as apparent in the pages of her work as it was during her career with the Free Library.

Kate DiCamillo was born in Philadelphia, and though she moved to Florida with her family just a few years later, she boasts one of the most impressive bibliographies of any author associated with our city — children’s or otherwise. DiCamillo is one of only six authors to win multiple Newbery Medals, which she earned for The Tale of Despereaux and Flora and Ulysses. Five of DiCamillo’s novels have been adapted into feature-length films, and in 2014, the Library of Congress selected her as a National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

Amy Ignatow moved from Long Island to Philadelphia to study at the Moore College of Art and Design and has resided in the city ever since. In 2010, Ignatow both authored and illustrated The Popularity Papers, a successful debut that would go on to spawn six sequels and garner a television adaptation. Ignatow found similar success with the Odds series (The Mighty Odds, Against the Odds, Odds and Ends), and has penned several installments of the Jedi Academy series.

Born in Philadelphia and educated at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, E.B. Lewis has been illustrating children’s books for over three decades. Lewis, who has frequently crossed over into the world of fine art throughout his career, is noted for his biographical work; his illustration of Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman won the 2003 Coretta Scott King Award, and in 2016, his art helped Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis earn recognition from The New York Times as one of the Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2016.

Jamar Nicholas is a cartoonist, educator, and West Philadelphia native who lent his talents to self-published comics, newspaper cartoons, and graphic novel adaptations during the early part of his career. Nicholas created an original comic book series for young readers, Leon: Protector of the Playground, in 2017. Leon was picked up by Scholastic in 2022 when Nicholas’s graphic novel Leon the Extraordinary was a hit. A kid superhero whose only power is common sense, Leon continues to inspire young readers to believe in themselves.

Philadelphia-based author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow was an educator for over 15 years before she began her writing career. Thompkins-Bigelow’s work primarily focuses on the power of identity among Black and Muslim children. Her picture book Your Name Is a Song was named an NEA Read Across America book and has been integrated into the curriculums of major school districts throughout the United States. Thompkins-Bigelow’s latest, Sister Friend, is a staple of children’s selections throughout the Free Library system.