John Nez
I've illustrated over 60 books for children, books of every conceivable sort. I enjoy doing different styles... from designed digital art in Photoshop to paintings with watercolor and pen-brush. I'm now also writing and illustrating my own stories, which is fun. I work mostly in a whimsical style with the goal of conveying lots of feeling in my artwork... happy, sad, sneaky, mad, hopeful, afraid... or whatever. I'd guess that's about the main point of any illustration.
I work in both traditional & digital mediums... often combining both mediums for best advantage. I find that Photoshop greatly expands the artist's toolbox. The combination of traditional and digital mediums allows for amazing new possibilities... and lots of fun.
I have a degree in English and studied illustration at the Parsons School of Design in New York City with Maurice Sendak, among other wonderful teachers. I've done many book projects with Mercer Mayer and Rosemary Wells, as a ghost illustrator. I live in Seattle, where I enjoy the natural wonders of the Northwest with my family.
Clients Include: Abrams Sterling Jimmy Patterson Books Blue Apple Books InteractiveTouchBooks.com HarperCollins Two Lions High 5 Red Chair G. P. Putnam Albert Whitman Holiday Houser Dutton Children's Books Usborne Pearson Ladybug Magazine Hyperion Price Stern Sloan Golden Books Random House Scholastic Highlights for Children Silver, Burdett & Ginn Jim Henson Associates Mercer Mayer The Wright Group Time-Life D.C. Heath Holt Humpty Dumpty Grolier Kane Press Atheneum Child Magazine Atlantic Records McClanahan & Co. 321 Contact Magazine Grosset & Dunlap Seventeen Magazine New York Times World Book Marvel Family Entertainment Travelers Insurance Bill Smith Studio Pearson MacMillan Sesame Street Magazine Pinwheel CTW
Note to self publishers - I often get letters from people asking me to illustrate a story they have written. Unfortunately, this is not possible since I'm always too busy with my own projects.
Most illustrators can't take on speculative work for individuals without a contract from a publisher or self publisher.
In most cases, publishers want to choose the artist for any given manuscript... so it's best for the author to submit stories directly to a publisher first.
What's the best way to go about submitting a story to a publisher? The first place to look for information about this process is the SCBWI.
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Another good place for information is the Children's Book Council
Read InterviewPublished Books:
- Mercer Mayer Books, Published by Golden Books
- One Smart Cookie, Published by Albert Whitman Publishing
- 'My Vacation Diary', Published by Ideals Publishers
- The Grandma Cure, Published by Dutton Books for Young Readers
- 'The Creeping Tide', Published by Kane Press
- 'The Dragon Painter', Published by Usborne Publishers
- 'The Grandma Cure', Published by Dutton Books for Young Readers
- 'The Little Plumpkins Hide & Seek', Published by Random House
- Whoo! Moo! Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!, Published by Concordia Publishing
- 'The Dragon Painter', Published by Usborne Publishers
- 'One Smart Cookie', Published by Albert Whitman Publishing
- 'One Smart Cookie', Published by Albert Whitman Publishing
- 'Bubble Trouble', Published by Kane Press
- Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle, Published by G.P. Putnams
- One Smart Cookie, Published by Albert Whitman
- Whoo! Moo! Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!, Published by Concordia Publishing
- The 12 Days of Christmas in Washington, Published by Sterling Publishing
- The 12 Days of Christmas in Washington, Published by Sterling Publishing
- The 12 Days of Christmas in Washington, Published by Sterling Publishing
- The 12 Days of Christmas in Washington, Published by Sterling Publishing
- The 12 Days of Christmas in Washington, Published by Sterling Publishing
- The 12 Days of Christmas in Washington, Published by Sterling Publishing
- Mother Goose Rhymes, Published by Golden Books
- Mother Goose Rhymes, Published by Golden Books
- 'Daisy Diaz Shakes Up Camp', Published by Kane Press
- The Dancing Clock, Published by Tiger Tales
- One Smart Cookie, Published by Albert Whitman
- Peter Panda Melts Down!, Published by Blue Apple Books
- Mousey the Explorer, Published by InteractiveTouchBooks.com & iTunes
- Mousey the Explorer, Published by InteractiveTouchBooks.com & iTunes
- Mousey the Explorer, Published by InteractiveTouchBooks.com & iTunes
- Mousey the Explorer, Published by InteractiveTouchBooks.com & iTunes
- Mousey the Explorer, Published by InteractiveTouchBooks.com & iTunes
- Emma's Echo, Published by Dutton
- 'One Smart Cookie', Published by Albert Whitman
- One Smart Cookie, Published by Albert Whitman
- ABC Animals, Published by InteractiveDigitalBooks
- 'One Smart Cookie', Published by Albert Whitman
- Daisy Diaz Shakes Up Camp, Published by Kane Press
- One Smart, Published by Albert Whitman
- Mouse's Christmas Cookie, Published by Amazon Children's Books
- Bingo the Cat, Published by InteractiveDigitalBooks
- Izzy Investigates, Published by Albert Whitman
- Baseball Cat, Published by InteractiveDigitalBooks
- Pet Peeves, Published by Kane Press
- Pet Peeves, Published by Kane Press
- Pet Peeves, Published by Kane Press
- 'No Money No Problem', Published by Kane Press
- No Money, No Problem!, Published by Kane Press
- Tabby Tiger Taxi Driver, Published by The Wright Group
- 'No Money, No Problem!', Published by Kane Press
- 'No Money, No Problem!', Published by Kane Press
- One Smart Cookie!, Published by Albert Whitman Publishing
- My Own Pages, Published by Highlights
- One Smart Cookie, Published by Albert Whitman Publishing
- The Dancing Clock, Published by Tiger Tales
- The 12 Days of Christmas in Washington, Published by Sterling Publishing
- 'The Christmas Cookie', Published by Amazon Children's Books
- Peter Panda's Meltdown!, Published by Blue Apple Books
- The Cranksville Cookout , Published by Pearson
- The Clatterville Cookout, Published by Pearson
- Spot Saves the Day, Published by Pearson
- Spot Saves the Day, Published by Pearson
- 'The Birdcharmers', Published by Holiday House
- 'Let's Talk Money', Published by Mondo Publishing
- 'About the Money', Published by Mondo Publishing
- 'Spot Saves the Day', Published by Pearson
- Stella... Almost, Published by Red Chair
- Stella Almost, Published by Red Chair
- 'Stella... Almost', Published by Red Chair
- My Cherry Tree, Published by Montessori Publishing
- Stella... Almost, Published by Red Chair
- One Smart Cookie, Published by Whitman
- My Own Pages, Published by Highlights
- Valentines, Published by Two Lions Publishing
- Amazing Autumn, Published by Red Chair Press
- Wonderful Winter, Published by Red Chair Press
- Surprising Spring, Published by Red Chair Press
- Sweet Summer, Published by Red Chair Press
- Wonderful Winter, Surprising Spring, Sweet Summer,, Published by Red Chair Press
- Amazing Autumn!, Published by Red Chair Press
- Counting Bears, Published by Highlights
- Counting Bears, Published by Highlights
- Counting Bears, Published by Highlights
- Surprising Spring!, Published by Red Chair Press
- Farmer Brown's Pet Pig, Published by Institute of Reading Development
- A Word or Two With You, Published by Atheneum
- Mike the Knight, Published by IRD
- A Twin, Published by Abrams
- ., Published by G.P. Putnams
- Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle, Published by Putnams
- The 12 Days of Christmas in Washington, Published by Sterling Publishing
- Highlights High 5, Published by Highlights
- Twins In the Rain, Published by Abrams
- Twins have the same eyes and same smiles, Published by Abrams
- Twins in a shadow at the beach, Published by Abrams
- Twins mischief, Published by Abrams
- Dinnertime mischief, Published by Abrams
- A Twin, Published by Abrams
- playing doctor, Published by HarperCollins
- Back to school, Published by Red Chair Press
- Amazing Autumn!, Published by Red Chair Press
- Twins can be different, Published by Abrams
- Mother Goose Is On the Loose!, Published by Golden Books
- Thumbs up!, Published by Red Chair Press
- A collection of my books, Published by 25 major publishers
- 12 Days of Christmas In Washington, Published by Sterling Books
- Baking a cake, Published by Bricks Publishing
- My Cherry Tree, Published by Montessori
- A Little Family, Published by Kane Press
- A jungle story, Published by Abbott Press
- It's a jungle out there..., Published by Abbott Press
- The Unicorn Girl, Published by Abbott Press
- Wonderful Winter, Published by Kane Press
- Give Please a Chance, Published by Jimmy Patterson Books
- Paint Your Own World, Published by Sterling
- Big City Holiday, Published by John Nez
- Snowshoes in winter, Published by Sterling
- Spring!, Published by Red Chair Press
- The Marshmallow Man, Published by E Book - educational
- The Cranksville Cookout, Published by E Book - educational
- The Friendship Hotline, Published by Putnams
- Not a Newcomer, Published by John Nez
- Kids and money, Published by Mondo Books
- Being Brave, Published by Jimmy Patterson Books
- Pea Soup Mystery, Published by Mondo Books
- The Cat's Hat Mystery..., Published by Mondo Books
- John Muir Woods, Published by Mondo Books
- Classroom Scene, Published by Albert Whitman
- Where Does the Trash Go?, Published by Heinemann Publishers
- Where Does the Trash Go?, Published by Heinemann Publishers
- Where Does the Trash Go?, Published by Heinemann Publishers
- Where Does the Trash Go?, Published by Heinemann Publishers
- If I Were A Train, Published by Ladybug Magazine