Eric Velasquez

Eric A. Velásquez is an American author and illustrator of over 30 children's books. Among other honors, he has won a John Steptoe New Talent Award, Pura Belpré Award (2011), and NAACP Image Award (2021).

Biography Velásquez was born in New York City, then in 1983 received a Bachelor of Arts from School of Visual Arts, after which he studied at the Art Students League of New York with Harvey Dinnerstein.

Before illustrating picture books, Velásquez designed book jackets and interior illustrations, including for Beverley Naidoo's Journey to Jo'burg (1986) and Chain of Fire (1990). Beautiful Moon (2015), Schomburg (2018), Ruth Objects (2021), and ¡Mambo Mucho Mambo! (2022). Three of the books Velásquez has illustrated have been included on Rise: A Feminist Book Project lists: Touch the Sky (2013), Ruth Objects (2021), and She Was The First! (2021). The following year, Booklist included it on their lists of the "Top 10 Biographies for Youth" and "Top 10 Diverse Nonfiction for Older and Middle Readers". In 2021, Booklist included ¡Mambo Mucho Mambo! on their list of the "Top 10 Arts Books for Youth". The following year, they included Going Places on their "Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth" list.

Publications

As author/illustrator

As illustrator