John Parra

John Parra is an award-winning illustrator, designer, author, and educator. For his children’s illustration work he has received three American Library Association’s Pura Belpré Honors, two Golden Kite Awards from The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Christopher Award. John’s illustrated book, Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, written by Monica Brown (NorthSouth), was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year. Recent titles include The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne, written by Lesa Cline-Ransome (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books), and Little Libraries, Big Heroes, written by Miranda Paul (Clarion Books). His latest book, Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books), is his debut as both author and illustrator.

John’s commercial clients include United Airlines, Hitachi, PBS, National Geographic, and many others. His designs can be seen on six U.S. Forever Postage Stamps titled Delicioso, and his MTA art card poster, Birdhouse Subways, was displayed throughout NYC subways. John was invited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY to present a special event about his career and illustrations. He has taught art at the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard, CA and regularly speaks as a visiting artist at schools and literary conferences across the country, advocating for art and reading education. John is a graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He lives with his wife Maria in Queens, New York.