Illustrator Needed for Children's Book (Ages 0-7) Amazon KDP Formatting

I'm looking for an experienced children's book illustrator to bring my story to life through beautiful, expressive, hand-illustrated artwork. This is a heartfelt children's book about donor conception for families with young children (approximately ages 0–7). The story is already written, and I have a very clear vision for the characters, setting, and overall artistic direction. I'm looking for an illustrator who enjoys collaborating, pays close attention to detail, and values consistency throughout an entire book. Project Scope: * Approximately 25 ish pages, including the front cover and back cover. * Full-color, premium-quality illustrations. * Print-ready formatting for Amazon KDP (bleed, trim, and PDF files). * Final source files included. * Character Development (Very Important) Before beginning the book, I'd like to create a Character Bible (Character Reference Sheet) for each of the main characters. This should include: * Front, side, and back views. * Several facial expressions. * Consistent proportions. * Color palette. * Any defining features that will remain consistent throughout the book. There are only three to four main recurring characters (animals-Otters), so once they're finalized, they should remain identical throughout the entire story. This step is extremely important to me because consistency is my highest priority. Illustration Style I'm looking for artwork that is: * Warm and emotionally expressive. * Premium children's book quality. * Soft, polished, and whimsical. * Rich in storytelling and environmental details. * Appealing to both children and adults. * The illustrations should feel timeless and full of personality, with expressive characters and immersive backgrounds. * Original Artwork Only I'm looking for an illustrator who creates original, hand-illustrated artwork. I am not looking for AI-generated illustrations or artwork that has been generated or heavily assisted by AI. I've worked with AI-generated illustrations before, and one of the biggest challenges has been maintaining character consistency from page to page. Because this book relies on recurring characters, maintaining a consistent appearance throughout the story is essential. Collaboration, I know exactly what I want for most of the book and will provide: * A detailed story. * Character descriptions. * Visual references. * Mood boards. * Feedback throughout the process. * That said, I'd also love an illustrator who enjoys contributing creative ideas. If you have suggestions for making a scene more engaging or emotionally impactful while staying true to the story, I'd love that collaborative approach. When Applying Please include: Your children's book portfolio (especially books with recurring characters). Examples showing consistent characters across multiple pages.Your illustration process from sketch to final artwork. Whether you create a Character Bible as part of your workflow (or if it's available as an additional service). Your estimated timeline for completing a project of this size. I'm looking for someone who genuinely loves illustrating children's books and wants to help create something special. Attention to detail, communication, and consistency are far more important to me than speed. Thank you, I look forward to seeing your work! Also, I have examples of what im looking for and can provide that if requested.