Painted Words

We represent a roster of talented illustrators and authors, focused mainly in the children's marketplace.

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Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now! (FSG) by Phillip Hoose, illustrated by Bea Jackson has been selected for the 2025 Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Titles Intermediate List.

Congratulations Bea!

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You Made Fun of My Sandwich (TCM) by Jessica Pegis, illustrated by Harry Briggs is #1 on the Children's Book Council's Children's Favorites List for Third to Fifth Grade,and This is My Brain! A Book On Neurodiversity (Chronicle) by Elise Gravel comes in at #3!

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You Made Fun of My Sandwich (TCM) by Jessica Pegis, illustrated by Harry Briggs is #1 on the Children's Book Council's Children's Favorites List for Third -Fifth Grade,and This is My Brain! A Book On Neurodiversity (Chronicle) by Elise Gravel comes in at #3!

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SOME OF US: A STORY OF CITIZENSHIP AND THE UNITED STATES (Christy Ottaviano Books) by Rajani LaRocca, illustrated by Huy Voun Lee has been named to the May/June Kid's Indie Next list.

The book will be published May 27, 2025.

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Little Melba and Her Big Trombone (Lee & Low), by Katheryn Russell-Brown, illustrated by Frank Morrison and Everything in its Place (Doubleday) by Pauline David-Sax, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow have both been named to Kirkus's Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far)!

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Living Bridges, The Hidden World of India's Woven Trees (Beach Lane Books) by Sandhya Acharya, illustrated by Avani Dwivedi has been selected by the Junior Library Guild as part of a new category called Global Citizenship for grades K-2.

The book will be published June 3, 2025.

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The Cool Code 2.0 The Switch Glitch (HarperCollins) by Deire Langeland, illustrated by Sarah Mai has been selected by the American Library Association for the 2024 Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List!

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Rats to the Rescue (Millbrook Press) by Scott Riley and Sambat Meas, illustrated by Huy Voun Lee is getting noticed! It is a Junior Library Guild Selection, A CCBC Choices book, and now a 2026 Towner Award nominated book.

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Some of Us (Christy Ottaviano Books) by Rajani LaRocca, illustrated by Huy Voun Lee has been garnering praise, from bookstore love, to a glowing review from Booklist and stars from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly.

Congratulations Huy!

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Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now! by Phillip Hoose, illustrated by Bea Jackson, has been selected as a 2025 Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts!

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Happy Holidays from Painted Words!

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The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books joins Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist in giving a starred review to When I Hear Spirituals (Holiday House) by Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by London Ladd.

It is also a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection.

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Tiana’s Perfect Plan (Disney/Hyperion) by Anika Noni Rose, illustrated by Olivia Duchess is featured in People Magazine! The article shows Olivia’s beautiful cover for the book, which dare we say is perfect! Congratulations Olivia!

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Anika Noni Rose, author of Tiana’s Perfect Plan (Disney/Hyperion), illustrated by Olivia Duchess, was featured on The Today Show, to promote the book which was published 10/22/24. The segment features many of Olivia's beautiful illustrations. https://t.co/z7ratomMcc

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Publishers Weekly has given a starred review to Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now! (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) by Claudette Colvin and Phillip Hoose, illustrated by Bea Jackson.

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Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar (Doubleday) by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow has been awarded the 2024 Norman A. Sugarman Children’s Biography Honor Award from the Cleveland Public Library.

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Shelf Awareness has given a starred review to Adela’s Mariachi Band (Charlesbridge) by Denise Vega, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina. https://t.co/BqaTn9VOtV

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The Library of Congress Centers for the Book has named Your Voice, Your Vote (HarperCollins) by Leah Henderson, illustrated by Keisha Morris  to the 2024 Great Reads from Great Places Youth List for the District of Columbia!

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School Library Journal joins Kirkus and Publishers Weekly in giving a starred review to Summer Is Here (Bloomsbury) by Renee Watson, illustrated by Bea Jackson.

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When I Hear Spirituals (Holiday House) by Cheryl Hudson, illustrated by London Ladd, has been named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.