Children's Book Illustrator Needed

Illustrator Wanted: Children's Picture Book — "RoaTown" We're seeking a talented illustrator to bring our underwater children's book, RoaTown, to life. This is a 19 page picture book for ages 6-10, including young readers who are English language learners or benefit from extra reading support, and the book will also be translated into Spanish. About the story: RoaTown follows Mila and Sasha, two siblings living in a vibrant underwater city, whose coral home begins to fade due to warming waters. After their family is forced to relocate, they meet a kind marine scientist who's working to help heal the ocean, and they discover that even amid change, home and hope can be rebuilt. Visual style we're looking for: Vibrant, warm, and inviting — think glowing coral, colorful sea creatures, and a sense of a real, lived-in underwater community (fish with backpacks, crabs walking to work, jellyfish drifting through "streets") Ability to shift tone visually — the book moves between joyful, colorful scenes (RoaTown at its peak) and quieter, more subdued scenes (the coral fading, the family's move) — we need an illustrator who can handle both emotional registers without the sad moments feeling scary for young readers Character-driven: strong, consistent character design for Mila, Sasha, their parents, their friend Lillie, and a human marine-scientist character, since these characters recur across the whole book Comparable style references: [add 2-3 books/illustrators whose style you admire, e.g. similar to Finding Nemo concept art, or specific picture book illustrators — this will help candidates self-select] Accessibility considerations: Clear, uncluttered compositions — busy or overly detailed spreads can be harder to follow for young readers and children with visual processing differences Illustrations should support the text (not just decorate it) — meaningful visual cues that help pre-readers or emerging readers follow the story even before they can read every word Scope: Full illustrations for all 19 pages (cover + 30ish interior spreads) Character design/model sheets for consistency across the book