As an author-illustrator of award-winning children’s books, Yasmeen Ismail knows art can teach valuable lessons.
“I have been given a small platform and I decided to try and do something with it,” Ismail explains. “I never want to waste an opportunity to give my opinion!”
Ismail has explored the world of a little girl who looks like a boy in I’m a Girl. She has captured the common struggle to resist bedtime via the adventures of a rebellious dog in Time for Bed, Fred. And in the case of her upcoming release Nuts!, her quirky illustrations depict squirrels with sharing problems.
Yasmeen Ismail Finds Her Voice in Children’s Books
The Irish-born writer began her career in Dublin, where she attended art school. Her training in animation gave her an understanding of vibrant imagery and illustration, as well as an eye for color and motion.
The bright and vivid colors in her popular children’s books were not Ismail’s natural aesthetic. Ismail initially drew mostly in monochromatic colors with the intention of becoming an editorial illustrator. But she decided to brighten up after her drawings were rejected by a perspective publishing agency because they lacked color.
“I knew enough to understand that when someone gives you critical advice… you should absolutely listen,” she admits. With this guidance and a renewed passion, Ismail turned to colorful children’s books and soon earned contracts with major imprints like Bloomberg Publishing.
Yasmeen Ismail Uses Her Talent to Show Rather than Tell
Ismail uses her books to help children expand their world-views. I’m a Girl, published in 2015, tells the story of a young girl who likes wearing t-shirts and shorts and is thus repeatedly mistaken for a boy. The protagonist nonetheless celebrates her unique identity no matter the impressions of the outside world.
In other books, beautiful illustrations make simple lessons – like learning to share – more fun.
While Ismail sometimes illustrates for other authors, she uses her own work to impart life-lessons. Her Draw and Discover book series (with titles including Inside, Outside, Upside Down; Happy, Sad, Feeling Glad; and Push, Pull, Empty, Full) helps children navigate and express feelings.
“Emotion has always been an important subject for me,” Ismail says. “It’s hard to go through life not understanding how you feel or why you are feeling it, for adults as well as kids. I think we can all relate.”
Combining Writing and Illustrating
Ismail always loved art, but she did not always want to be an author. But now, she appreciates the opportunity to pursue both aspects of her work.
“Doing both can be tricky,” she admits. “I heard someone call it the ‘Holy Grail’ once. I started out as an illustrator first and then was lucky to be given the chance to write.”
In fact, Ismail originally worked as an animator until her small animation studio closed down.
“I decided not to panic and to focus on the fact that it was an opportunity for me to really pursue something that I was interested in,” she remembers. “I had a plan to project manage myself into illustration. To enter lots of competitions, build my portfolio, approach agents and publishers. It worked. I got my first agent within about 7 months of starting out.”
Years later, fans can buy any of Ismail’s many award-winning books online, or through bookstores like Barnes & Noble.
