Catia Chien

Catia Chien is a children's book illustrator from São Paulo, Brazil.

She is currently working in New York City.

Biography She graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California in 2004.

She has produced work for several publishing companies, including Random House, Penguin Books and Candlewick Press. She has won a gold medal from the Society of Illustrators in New York for her work in The Bear and The Moon and she has also won a gold medal from the Society of Illustrators in Los Angeles for her work in Sea Serpent and Me, written by Dashka Slater. Chien has also received a Schneider Family Book Award for her ALA notable book, A Boy and a Jaguar, written by Alan Rabinowitz. Chien received the 2026 Caldecott Medal for her work on Fireworks, written by Matthew Burgess.

Chien also works in visual development for animation. She has worked on films such as The Little Prince and Wish Dragon.

Books A Lotus for You, written by Minh Le, Parallax, 2025 Fireworks, written by Matthew Burgess, Harper Collins/Katherine Tegen Books, 2025 All The Beating Hearts, written by Julie Fogliano, Neal Porter Books, 2023 On the Tip of a Wave: How Ai Weiwei's Art Is Changing the Tide, written by Joanna Ho, Scholastic, 2023 The Longest Letsgoboy, written by Derek Wilder, Chronicle Books, 2021 The Bear and the Moon, written by Matthew Burgess, Chronicle Books, 2020 The Town of Turtle, written by Michelle Cuevas, HMH Books for Young Readers, 2018 Things to Do, written by Elaine Magliaro, Chronicle Books, 2017 A Boy and a Jaguar, written by Alan Rabinowitz, HMH Books for Young Readers, 2014 My Blue is Happy, written by Jessica Young, Candlewick, 2013 The Sea Serpent and Me, written by Dashka Slater, HMH Books for Young Readers, 2008 Princess Alyss of Wonderland, written by Frank Beddor, Dial, 2007 Flight, Volume One, edited by Kazu Kibuishi and Catia Chien, Image Comics and Ballantine Books, 2007