Nora Hilb

As a child, I loved drawing more than anything else, though I never imagined it would become my profession. Because my parents were both from Germany, I grew up speaking German, later learning Spanish and English. I did have my favorite books: Die Wurzelkinder (which is German for The Children of the Roots), several wonderfully illustrated fairy tales (which I read over and over again), and collections of poems and songs by Argentina’s best-known author, María Elena Walsh. Later, I fell in love with the mysteries of Enid Blyton, which I read in German.

After high school, I studied to be a kindergarden teacher. My desire to illustrate, however, remained strong, and eventually I found work drawing for a small company that produced animated films for children. I fled Argentina in 1976 in the wake of violent military upheavals and settled in Mexico, where Marcela, my daughter, was born, before returning to Argentina in 1980. After nearly four years in prison for political causes, I started to work in a graphic design studio where I invented lots of labels for everything from shoe polish to vinegar, as well as company logos and brochures.   

By 1985, my second child, Leandro, was born and life in Argentina was getting better. I began slowly turning my thoughts to my dream of illustrating picture books. After putting together a small portfolio of illustrations, I contacted as many children’s book publishers in Argentina as I could find. By 1989, I had published my first picture book. 

Since I´ve illustrated many books. I mention a few: "Nora´s Ark" (Eileen Spinelli, Zonderkidz), "Leo´s tree" and "Sophie´s wheels" (Debora Pearson, Annick Press), "Mama´s wild child, papa´s wild child" (Dianna Hutts Aston, Charlesbridge Publishing), "Merry Christmas Matty Mouse" (Nancy Walker Guye, Nord-Süd Verlag), "Fair- weather friend" (Udo Weigelt, Nord-Süd Verlag), "Little chick and mommy cat" (Marta Zafrilla, Cuento de Luz), "¿De qué tienes miedo, Ratoncito?" and "The magic ball of wool" (Susanna Isern, Cuento de Luz).

In Argentina: "Tutú Marambá" (María Elena Walsh, Espasa) and "El Reino del Revés" (María Elena Walsh, Alfaguara), "Mamimiau" and "Pipollito" (María Laura Dedé, Unaluna), "Buenas noches" and "El globo azul" (Graciela Montes, Loqueleo), "Miedo" and "Azul" (Graciela Cabal, Penguin Random), "Cosas de pajarito" (Mauricio Rosencof, Mágicas Naranjas), "Cu Canguro" (Gabriela Keselman, Norma), "Bicho Patudo" (Norberto Rey, La Brujita de Papel) and the series of "Cuentos del Juglar" (Diana Briones, AZ). 

I´ve also written some others: the series of "El lobo Rodolfo" -Loqueleo, Argentina-, together with my sisters Claudia and Vera, the series of "Gastón Ratón y Gastoncito" and "El chanchito azul" - AZ, Argentina-, "Osonino" - Periplo, Argentina, "Crac" - Calibroscopio, Argentina-, together with my daughter Marcela Cabezas Hilb; the series of "Cosas cositas" (red, blue and yellow) -  Betygino, Argentina, also together with Marcela C. Hilb. To be published in 2024, "Teo y el monstruo" -Edebé, Spain.

In addition to Argentina, my illustrations appear in books in many other countries. I´m truly grateful to have had the chance to work and grow in a profession I so dearly love. What I like most is to illustrate picture books with animal characters that combine humor and gentleness. I want to be able to transmit through my illustrations all the passion and joy I feel when I create them.