Julia Kuo is a Taiwanese-American illustrator of children’s books and editorial articles.
I create illustrations that celebrate my family’s heritage, highlight immigrant communities, and reflect my love of the outdoors.
Book Illustration
There’s nothing like diving into an all-consuming half year book project. It’s a unique chance to pair up with a creative, talented author and to develop a brand new visual language. Now that I’m also writing my own books, I have even more of an opportunity to create an entire story and its world from scratch!
I would love to create children’s book illustrations that show the children of immigrants experiencing nature and outdoors adventures as leaders.
Some upcoming and recent picture books I’ve illustrated include:
Home is a Wish (2025)
The Next Scientist (2024)
When Love is More Than Words (2024)
Luminous: Living Things that Light up the Night (2022)
Let’s Do Everything and Nothing (2022)
I Am An American: The Wong Kim Ark Story (2021)
I Dream of Popo (2021)
The Sound of Silence (2016)
Editorial Illustration
Editorial illustrations are opportunities to add another layer of meaning to existing content - in most cases, a newspaper or magazine article, but they can also be paired with podcasts or reports. Not only do I enjoy the problem solving and quick turnaround that editorial illustration calls for, but I also love getting a peek at the journalism process behind the scenes.
I am particularly interested in illustrating editorial stories about Taiwan, Hong Kong, Nepal, and the Uyghur population in Xinjiang.
“Kuo’s illustrations, midway between manga and Chris Ware yet thoroughly original, carry the story with effortless poetic enchantment.”
“Deeply resonant...richly descriptive...The meditative pleasures of the book deepen with the thoughtful, dramatic compositions and bright colors of Kuo’s illustrations. Read the notes, listen closely, and you might be able to hear the music and the silence too.”
“...With just a single picturesque sentence per double-page spread, Kuo creates a sweeping yet intimate narrative about the experiences of contentment and togetherness that make even small moments seem extraordinary and that anchor us through life’s highs and lows...”
Nature & Adventure Illustration
I love how illustration can bring viewers to the farthest ends of our planet, from the deep sea to the arctic tundra. I’m especially taken by the beauty of harsh, remote landscapes and would love to tell the stories of the people who venture out into them.
Some topics or events I’d love to record in illustrations include:
Mountaineering by people of color
A year on the McMurdo base in Antarctica
The daily life of a dog sledding team
Animal migration linked with human immigration
Scientists who rock climb as part of their research
Adapting the management of invasive species in response to climate change
Find me on Instagram!
