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Jonathan Aleksey

'Illustrated 
'Kakadu National Park'
'Hong Kong's Bun Festival' 'Solar Absorbers and the Future of Electricity'

Where are you from?
Queens, NY

What inspired you to become an artist?
My dad was a huge superhero fan. He would give me old comics as a little kid, either from his own collection or taking me to The Strand. I grew an attachment to Spider-Man and it is what originally made me want to do art, comics in particular.

What medium/media do you like to work in?
Currently my interests are Sequential Art and Storyboarding.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
I've been working digitally most of my career. It's the format I feel most comfortable in and I believe eBooks can reach the most people most efficiently.

Online portfolio: JonnyAlekseyDrawsComics.com

Fun fact: My favorite colors are Bright Green & Sky Blue, and my favorite pizza is mushroom/spinach/bacon.

Of the illustrations you've created, which one is your favorite?
Don't know about an illustration but for comics it would be my webcomic Undefeatable J-Man, where I put all of my imagination and passion into.

– Jonathan Aleksey –

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Caitlin Duke

Illustrated
'The Taj Mahal'
'A Wind and Rain Bridge'
'Persepolis'
'Dolley Payne, Dolley Todd, Dolley Madison'
'A Brave Woman and Pilot'
'Fireflies'

Where are you from?
I am from Frederick, Maryland

What inspired you to become an artist?
The world is always rushing by, but art has always been a place of constancy. It has become my source of connection to other people as well as a tool of self-contemplation. Whether in illustration, animation, or whatever other form art might take, it always has a way of making me take time to better experience and appreciate my life. I was inspired to professionally pursue art because I believe in its potential to bring people together and to enhance how we live our lives.

What medium/media do you like to work in?
Currently, I find digital art to be my preferred medium, but I also deeply enjoy working with inks and watercolor.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
Creating illustrations for an eBook seemed to be a unique opportunity to try something totally new and to serve others with my craft.

Fun fact: I also love to bake!

Online portfolio: https://caitlinaduke.wixsite.com/arts

Which illustration that you created for either eBook is your favorite?
Page 5 from "The Taj Mahal"

– Caitlin Duke –

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Jenna Guidi

'Illustrated
'John Wesley Powell Maps the Grand Canyon'
'The Northern Lights' 'Water, Water, Everywhere!'

What inspired you to become an artist? 
My favorite movies and TV shows inspired me to become an artist and made me want to get involved in that field. I always loved drawing so, naturally, I was drawn to that path of visual story telling, which has bled into wanting to illustrate books as well.

What medium/media do you like to work in? 
I like to work with Photoshop. I use a Wacom tablet to draw and paint in the program. I do some art with traditional media, such as pencils, inks, and acrylic paint. And I'll sometimes photograph my traditional art and work on it in the computer. 

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
I was interested in making an eBook because when I read stories, I love to picture how it looks. It's fun to go through the text and figure out what I want to draw and how to best show what is happening in the story. 

Fun fact: I can wiggle my ears.

– Jenna Guidi –

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Nishan Patel

Illustrated
 'William's Windmill' , 
'Easter Island Statues'

Where are you from?
New Jersey 

​What inspired you to become an artist? 
My late uncle's best friend taught me how to draw when I was three years old! It is one of my first memories.

What medium/media do you like to work in? 
I love working in watercolors. I also enjoy oil painting and digital art making as well. 

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
I enjoy writing and illustrating children's books. When I heard about the great work that ReadWorks does, I wanted to be a part of it and help any way I could.

Online Portfolio: ​www.nishanpatel.com

Fun fact: Spider-Man is my favorite fictional character.

Of the illustrations you've created, which one is your favorite? The cover that I made for the true story of William and the Windmill! William Kamkwamba is a very inspirational man; it felt great to illustrate a story about him to help share his story with all of you!

– Nishan Patel –

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Youheum Son

Illustrated
'A Valley in the Himalayas'
'What Do Plants Need?'
'What Happens When it Rains?'
'Lyda Newman, Inventor and Fighter'

Where are you from?
I was born in South Korea but I would say I am more of a Texan at heart because I spent most of my time there. 

What inspired you to become an artist?
Illustration is a tool for me to be more observant and mindful of the different life forms that support me. I make illustrations that are abundant in plants, nature, and peacefulness because I am appreciative of those things in my life. 
I became an artist to convey my appreciations and love for the people, things, and nature surrounding me. 

What medium/media do you like to work in?
I usually work digitally but my go-to traditional medium is gouache and watercolor. I love the rich opaque finish of gouache and also the fluid transparency of watercolor. 

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
I've always loved learning visually and I thought it would be a great chance for me to jump in and do something different. 

Online portfolio: 
www.youheumson.com
​Instagram handle: @yson.art

Fun fact:
I often incorporate my own spotty tabby cat into my illustration. It's a bit like the I Spy picture book.

Of the illustrations you've created, which one is your favorite?
I enjoyed illustrating "What Do Plants Need?" and especially the page with the person watering the plants. All the plants in the scene are from my own collection at home. ​​

– Youheum Son –

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Nicole Bedoya

Illustrated
'A Ride in Space'
'Australia's Natural Wonder: The Great Barrier Reef'
'The Leaning Tower of Pisa'

What inspired you to become an artist? 
Ever since I could remember, I’ve always had this passion to create, whether that was projects for school or just drawing my favorite cartoons from the 90’s. I believe growing up in New York played a large role as well! Having the opportunity to visit all the famous museums located in the city has fed my creative drive!

What medium/media do you like to work in? 
My favorite medium to work in are oil paints! Lately, I've been really into digital painting and approaching a more graphic style.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
Back when I was an elementary student, I used to really love reading books with illustrations. I was always excited about turning the next page to see what was next! With my Ebook, I was very determined to bring the same excitement and inspiration I had as a child to the young readers today.

Fun fact: I love taking long rollerblading trips around New York City.

– Nicole Bedoya –

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Krista Du​ke

Illustrated
'Traveling on Water'
'A Dangerous Dust Storm'
'Oxcarts in Costa Rica'
​'The Woman Who Collected Plants'

Where are you from?
I grew up in Frederick, Maryland.

What inspired you to become an artist?
My family, nature, stories-that-stick-with-you, gripping movies, art teachers, other artists, close friends, my sister, my childhood memories.

What medium/media do you like to work in?
I prefer to work with ink pens and digital paints.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
I've always loved a good story - especially when they have pictures to go along with it! It has always been my dream to illustrate for books, whether they are printed or digital. Since much of my art work is digital, creating images for eBooks is a very happy fit for me.
 
Fun fact: I apprenticed as a Puppeteer for a full year! 

Online portfolio: www.kristalduke.com

Of the illustrations you've created, which one is your favorite?
​My favorite illustration is probably the cover image for the eBook, "A Dangerous Dust Storm." I love the hazy oranges and yellows, which create a strangely nostalgic and soothing atmosphere.

– Krista Duke –

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Liz Leggett

Illustrated 
'A Hero in Disguise'

Where are you from? Westport, Connecticut

What inspired you to become an artist? I have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember–my earliest childhood memories are of drawing and painting and these memories are very distinct and detailed. I have been very fortunate to continue making art throughout my life!

What medium/media do you like to work in? Oil painting and traditional drawing materials such as oil pastel, pencil and crayon.

Why were you interested in making an eBook? Since most of my art is abstract, it was a challenge for me to work figuratively, and consider a narrative, the characters and their environment when making the drawings for the eBook.
​
Fun fact: I love baseball, reading and following current events

Online portfolio: www.lizleggett.com

Of the illustrations you've created, which one is your favorite? The cotton field workers

– Liz Leggett –

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Mariano Perez

Illustrated
​'Pluto: The Planet that Wasn't'

 What inspired you to become an artist? 
This is a little bit of a weird story but I wanted to become an artist after my 2nd-grade art  teacher asked the class to draw this simple pattern or red and blue. And just by doing that, it made me feel so happy because I understood it. I was a kid who didn't know how to speak much English, and the art made me feel like I was connected with other people. My mind understood it and I loved it. From there on out, I deiced to become an artist.

What made me want to make a career out of art was the creator of Naruto: Masashi Kishimoto. He is a Japanese artist who appreciate to my core. His values and his art in storytelling have touched my art in many ways.

What medium/media do you like to work in? 
I mostly work in  the digital medium. It feels like it's  the best way for me to express my message in the art that I create. Since going to the School of Visual Arts, I was taught to use traditional media which I replicate in my digital art.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
I am a tech kind of guy. I have all my books and comics on my tablet. I see eBooks  as the way that books will reach a wider range of audiences, and I wanted to help create one.

Fun fact: I love learning. My favorite topics are history and science (psychology, physics, astronomy, and technology)!

– Mariano Perez –

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Kayleigh Waters

Illustrated
'Ancient Egypt'
'Chocolate, Long Ago and Today'
'Cesar Chavez'

What inspired you to become an artist? 
 I've been inspired by every thing from children's books to movies to cartoons to comics to museum.

What medium/media do you like to work in? 
I love working in watercolors and digital media best

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
Working in children's book illustration with unusual storytelling styles is my dream. ReadWorks not only is for kids, but also teaches about new topics in interesting ways!

– Kayleigh Waters –

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Jing Yao (Viko) Chen

Illustrated
'The Volcano That Keeps Erupting'

Where are you from?
I grew up in China and moved to Vancouver, Canada with my family when I was 17.

What inspired you to become an artist?
My mom used to design toys and handcrafts for her own company when I was a child. Everytime I visited her, I would spend time in her office playing with toys and listening to her talking about ideas and sketches of new project. I guess my mom inspired me in the first place, she taught me how fun and powerful art is.

What medium/media do you like to work in?
I like to work with traditional mediums such as pencil , acrylic paint and watercolor.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
Because making art for children is my passion. I want my visuals to help the children to better understand the contents and inspire their imaginations.

Fun fact: I just had my daughter last month, her name is Venée.

Online Portfolio:  vikochen.com

– Jing Yao (Viko) Chen –

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Carrick Esquivel

Illustrated 
'Animals of Africa'
'The Siberian Tiger'
'Gray Wolves: Predator and Prey'
​'The City on a City'
​'The American Bird' 

What inspired you to become an artist? 
 I love to create worlds where I wish to go and experience. Creating art is the only way I can communicate the images and ideas in my head.out.

What medium/media do you like to work in? 
I chose to work in a combination of white gouache and inkwash. 

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
I simply jumped at the opportunity to draw animals, especially those I love like lions and elephants. 

Fun fact: My favorite superhero is Wonder Woman which is another subject I like to draw. 

– Carrick Esquivel –

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Tiffany Ng

Illustrated 
​'Kinkajous'

What inspired you to become an artist? 
I don’t think there has been one defining moment that inspired me to become an artist. It was something that I’ve always gravitated towards ever since I was a kid, without even realizing it. It was always fulfilling and exciting for me to have my hands on a project.  

What medium/media do you like to work in? 
 I usually like to work in either digital, acrylic, or oils.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
 I thought it would be a great experience to be able to learn and do something I’ve never done before.

Fun Fact: I also do a variety of crafts and projects as a hobby.

– Tiffany Ng –

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Spencer Reeves

Illustrated
'What Lives in a Rain Forest?'
'Monarch Butterflies'

Where are you from?
Originally from Mississippi, but now resided in NYC. 

What inspired you to become an artist?
I was inspired by playing video games as a kid and really falling in love with the art direction and character designs! 

What medium/media do you like to work in?
Digital!

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
I was excited to use my skills in a way that could help reading comprehension as opposed to just being something nice to look at.  It feels like this project had more weight than what I was used to. 
 
Fun fact: Lara Croft was my favorite character to draw as a kid.
 
Online portfolio: theartofspence.com

Of the illustrations you've created, which one is your favorite?
​My personal favorite so far is the illustration I did of the forest full of monarch butterflies!

– Spencer Reeves –

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Yuki Wu​

Illustrated
​'China's Terracotta Army'

Where are you from?
Beijing, China

What inspired you to become an artist?
When I was a little girl, drawing was my favorite thing to do in the world. I enjoyed how I could capture the world I saw through different colors and ideas, and how I could create anything from my head on paper. As I grew up that hobby stayed with me, and I became influenced by a lot of comics and animations. I’d say Pixar was the biggest inspiration for me to study here in US and become the artist I always wanted to be.

What medium/media do you like to work in?
As for traditional media I love oil, watercolor, and color pencils. Now I mostly work in digital.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
When I saw there was an eBook article about China’s Terra Cotta army I immediately wanted to illustrate it. I visited the tomb site with my family when I was young and I still can’t get over how majestic and incredible it is. I came from a land with rich cultural roots, and it has always been both my wish and target to let people from all around the world get to know the beautiful history of my homeland. 

Online portfolio: www.yukiwu.art

Fun fact: Because I like art so much I skipped 9th grade and went to art high school, which made me the youngest graduate of 2018 in my college:)

Of the illustrations you've created, which one is your favorite?
I like the one of all the valuable jewelry and jade in the tomb. They are shiny and very fun to paint.

– Yuki Wu –

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Kyoosang Choi

Illustrations
'Saving the World from Smallpox'
'Gumboot Dance from South Africa'
'Standing on the Roof of Africa'
'Lincoln and the 13th Amendment to End Slavery'
'Professional Athletes'
'Rocks from Space'

What inspired you to become an artist? 
Bringing light to an idea and making it an image was such a fascinating thing to do.

What medium/media do you like to work in? 
I usually use pen and ink for my works, but I sometimes use oil paint, spray paint, etching, silkscreen, and digital.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
The fact that my work can actually help children who need support. And I love books about history and science, so it was such an interesting offer to illustrate them.

Fun fact: I have been a cook, helicopter engineer in army, CEO of a small apparel company, labor man, tattooist, car washer, waiter, salesman, and a teacher in church school.

– Kyoosang Choi –

Jessica

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Alexandra Filipek

Illustrations
'The Old Stone House'

What inspired you to become an artist?
I always loved to draw. Later, I started to combine stories I made up with drawings, and learned that this was called being an illustrator! I've been illustrating ever since.

What medium/media do you like to work in?
I work in Photoshop with a Wacom tablet.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
I'm a total convert to eBooks after filling up my bookcase and all my books with post-it notes. I also love to make educational materials to help people learn so that was another big part of it.

Fun fact: I did a history eBook because I'm very into ancient history!

– Alexandra Filipek–

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David Padilla

Illustrated
​'Victoria Falls: The Smoke That Thunders'

Where are you from?  Bronx, NY

What inspired you to become an artist? It was fun to do, and when I saw what art was capable of it made me want to get better 

What medium/media do you like to work in? Ink, markers, digital

Why were you interested in making an eBook? It seemed like a fun opportunity to learn and try something new 

Fun fact: I really enjoy skateboarding

Which illustration that you created for the eBook is your favorite? The cover 

– David Padilla –

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Fawn Savantrad

Illustrated
​'Talking Leaves'

Where are you from?
Bangkok, Thailand

​What inspired you to become an artist? 
As a kid, I would draw on walls or underneath the dining table, the scolding from my parents was worth it. I still remember that pure joy I got from just scribbling.

What medium/media do you like to work in? 
I love working digitally, and gouache for traditional pieces. 

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
eBooks are so accessible and I want to help people find the passion for reading.

Online Portfolio: ​fawnsavantrad.com

Fun fact: I'm a big fan of horror movies, my recent favourite is Hereditary.

Of the illustrations you've created, which one is your favorite? The piece with Sequoyah underneath the tree, branches filled with books, newspaper and letters. It was all possible for the Cherokee people because of him!​

– Fawn Savantrad –

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Hai Fei Xie

Illustrated
'Anansi the Spider'
'What Lives in the Ocean?'
'A Waterfall in Iceland'
'The Swimming Dinosaur' 
​'Animals of the Arctic'
​'Pompeii'

Where are you from?
China

What inspired you to become an artist?
Because of family financial hardship, my father encouraged me to draw things that I was interested in when I was little. He said toys and memories will fade through time, but my own creations would remain. This way of seeing life has continued to grow throughout my adulthood. I still draw what I am interested in these days.

What medium/media do you like to work in?
I don't have a preferred medium because it often changes based on the theme of the story I'm working on. I do digital, oil painting, gouache, watercolor, and printmaking.

Why were you interested in making an eBook?
Unlike traditional printed copies, eBooks provide an auditory, animated aspect which allows children to interact with the reading. Ebooks can also help visually impaired people or those without access to a library.

Online Portfolio: 
www.haifeixie.com 
https://www.behance.net/haifeixie

Fun fact: I am not a funny person, does that sound fun? haha.

Of the illustrations you've created, which one is your favorite?
The image in which the lion is being captured is my favorite. It might not be the best composed among the others, but I like the concept of it. It reminds me to never judge a book by it's cover. Although Anansi is a little spider, he surely surprised us with his power and skill to outsmart a lion.​

– Hai Fei Xie –