BIO SNAPSHOT
New York City based Steven Salerno is the illustrator of 37 award winning popular picture books for children (fiction & nonfiction), and the author/illustrator of 5 of these titles. His illustrations bring to life the expressive, memorable characters that move and define a picture book story –and his rich, striking scenes for nonfiction historical picture books creatively capture the spirit of the story’s era and its characters.
Steven has 2 new picture books scheduled for release in Spring 2025. (see details in the 2024 Picture Book News section further below)
It Simply Can’t Be Bedtime
MADELINE Say Be Kind
Many of his picture books have received starred industry reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Children's Literature, and The New York Times Review of Books. 9 of his picture books are Junior Library Guild Selections with 6 of these attaining their highest Gold Standard recognition. His picture book illustrations have been displayed in the Society of Illustrators (NYC) annual exhibition of the very best in children's picture book illustration. Some of Steven’s picture book titles have been translated into Chinese, German, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, and Spanish.
Over his long independent career he has also created thousands of published illustrations for hundreds of clients in advertising, magazines, publishing, newspapers, product packaging, and retail graphics. (view Steven’s list of current and past clients)
Steven is an honors graduate of the Illustration Department at Parsons School of Design (NYC), where he studied art history, printmaking, animation, and illustration under top industry professionals, including the famed author/illustrator, Maurice Sendak, creator of the ground breaking picture book, Where the Wild Things Are.
Originally from Vermont, Steven lives and works in New York City.
^ Steven working on one of the illustrations for the picture book, BOOM! (Disney/Hyperion Books)
photo of illustrator/author Steven Salerno 2024
RECENT PICTURE BOOK AWARD
Steven’s illustrated picture book, The Crayon Man -The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons (nonfiction -written by Natascha Biebow, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2019) won the prestigious Irma Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature for 2020, voted on by children all around the world.
^ cover of The Crayon Man -The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons -written by Natascha Biebow & illustrated by Steven Salerno (published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2019) -winner of the prestigious Irma Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature for 2020.
^above To date Steven has illustrated 39 popular picture books… 5 of those titles as both the illustrator & the author.
Little Tumbo - Coco the Carrot - Harry Hungry! - Wild Child - Tim’s Goodbye
STEVEN’S 2024 PICTURE BOOK NEWS
current projects
To date, Steven has 37 picture books published. In April of 2024 he completed the illustrations for his 38th picture book, It Simply Can’t Be Bedtime -written by the prominent NY Times editor and columnist, Pamela Paul, her very first picture book story! The release date is slated for Spring 2025, published by G.P Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Below are sneak peeks at just a few of the finished illustrations for, It Simply Can’t Be Bedtime -a jaunty and charming story about a stubborn little girl who refuses to get ready for bedtime so Dad cleverly elicits the assistance of the girl’s very British stuffed animal, Lady Pigsworth, to help prompt his daughter in getting ready for bed.
^ above Title Page illustration from the new picture book, It Simply Cant’t Be Bedtime -written by Pamela Paul & illustrated by Steven Salerno. The very British stuffed animal, Lady Pigsworth, sitting on the girl’s messy bedroom floor. To be released in 2025 by G.P. Putnam Sons/ imprint of Penguin Random House.
^ above detail of an illustration from the new picture book, It Simply Cant’t Be Bedtime -written by Pamela Paul & illustrated by Steven Salerno. The very British stuffed animal, Lady Pigsworth in a discussion with Dad. To be released in 2025 by G.P. Putnam Sons/ imprint of Penguin Random House.
^ above Detail of an illustration from the new picture book, It Simply Cant’t Be Bedtime -written by Pamela Paul & illustrated by Steven Salerno. The little girl who refuses to get ready for her bed time. To be released in 2025 by G.P. Putnam Sons/ imprint of Penguin Random House.
the Madeline project
^ above Covers of the first four titles in the new 5 book series of MADELINE picture books & board books from Viking/Penguin Random House, released thru 2023. The 5th and final title slated for release in Spring 2025.
^ above Detail of an illustration from Love from Madeline -first in the series of 5 new MADELINE picture books & board books from publisher Viking Press (Penguin/Random House) and illustrated by Steven Salerno in the illustration style of the famed originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans.
In September 2024 Steven completed all the final illustrations for his 39th picture book, MADELINE Says Be Kind -the final title in the series of 5 new MADELINE picture books & board books published by Viking/Penguin Random House, and slated for release in 2025.
These picture books & board books feature one of the most well known and beloved characters in picture book history, Madeline. Yes that Madeline! With the famous opening line: “In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.”
NOTE: For these new titles Steven has created all the illustrations in the recognizable style of the famed originator of the Madeline character, author/artist Ludwig Bemelmans. All 5 of these new MADELINE titles are written by John Bemelmans Marciano, the grandson of Ludwig Bemelmans. They were released in the following order:
(1) Love from Madeline -released April 2022
(2) Madeline’s ABCs -released June 2022
(3) Madeline’s 123s -released Nov 2022
(4) Madeline’s SEASONS -released Spring 2023
(5) Madeline Says Be Kind -to be released Spring 2025
-detail of an illustration from MADELINE’S ABCs -2nd in the series of 5 new MADELINE picture books & board books from publisher Viking Press (Penguin/Random House) and illustrated by Steven Salerno -in the illustration style of the famed originator of the Madeline character, Ludwig Bemelmans.
Steven’s career as an illustrator has never been to imitate another artist’s style. However he did make this one-time exception when back in late 2019 Denise Cronin, then the executive art director of the publishing house Viking Press/Penguin Random House, first posed the question to him: “Would you be interested in the special project of purposely mimicking the impressionistic and whimsical illustration style of the creator of Madeline (famed author/illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans) for a series of 5 new Madeline picture books?”
So Steven seriously mulled over this unusual project offer -eventually saying, “YES”. In late May 2020 the “Madeline project” was officially offered. Steven certainly did not accept the project for the notoriety because very few people would even be aware he’s the contemporary artist in the background creating the illustrations for these new Madeline picture books mimicking the graphic style of the originator. Nor would this project really enhance his own picture book career arc. Steven’s ultimate reason for taking on this project was because he knew I could do an excellent job of emulating the Bemelmans’ drawing style and he also felt a kind of dutiful obligation to take on the role of artistic guardian of the Madeline character -by hopefully imbuing a strong sense of Ludwig Bemelmans’ wonderful graphic sensibilities into the illustrations!
view some final illustrations from the first 4 MADELINE picture books & board books.
To read a more detailed account of this new Madeline picture book project, click on this link to the spotlight section of Steven’s web site.
other most recent picture books released
Steven illustrated the wonderful nonfiction picture book, On the Corner of Chocolate Avenue -How Milton Hershey Brought Milk Chocolate To America -written by Tziporah Cohen & illustrated by Steven Salerno, released by Clarion Books/Harper Collins in December 2022.
It’s the life story of American Milton Hershey, the poor kid from Pennsylvania -who as a teen learned how to make candies, ice cream, and sweets. Then as a young adult, after a few failed candy business ventures of his own, Milton eventually established a successful caramel company, followed by his incredibly successful HERSHEY’S chocolate company -which became one of the largest producers of chocolate in the whole world!
On the Corner of Chocolate Avenue is a Junior Library Guild GOLD STANDARD Selection for 2022.
^ cover of On The Corner of Chocolate Avenue (Clarion Books/Harper Collins in December 2022)
^ cropped detail of an illustration from the nonfiction picture book, On The Corner Of Chocolate Avenue (Clarion Books/Harper Collins in December 2022)
picture books released 2018 thru 2021
Back in mid-2020 Steven completed the illustrations for his 31st picture book, Gizmos, Gadgets and Guitars -The Story of Leo Fender (nonfiction) -written by Michael Mahin, published by Christy Ottaviano Books/Macmillan (released in Fall 2021). It’s the story of American designer/manufacturer Leo Fender, the California kid who grew up tinkering with radios and electronics as a hobby, and as an adult began designing innovative electric guitars. His slim, solid body iconic Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars, first released in the early 1950’s, were immensely popular and intrinsically linked with the emerging new music genre Rock n Roll.
^ cover of Gizmos, Gadgets and Guitars -The Story of Leo Fender -written by Michael Mahin & illustrated by Steven Salerno (published by Christy Ottaviano Books/MacMillan 2021
In the fall of 2020 Steven also completed the final illustrations for his 32nd picture book project, The Secret Code Inside You (nonfiction) -written by Rajani LaRocca MD, a whimsical introduction to how your unique DNA genetic coding makes you into you! Published by Little Bee Books (released in Fall 2021).
^ one of the illustrations from the picture book, The Secret Code Inside You (nonfiction) -written by Rajani LaRocca MD & illustrated by Steven Salerno -published by Little Bee Books 2021
Steven had 2 new picture books released in 2019
The Crayon Man -The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons (non-fiction) published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt -written by Natascha Biebow & illustrated by Steven Salerno, the true story of American Edwin Binney, inventor of Crayola Crayons in 1903. (The Crayon Man won the prestigious 2020 Irma Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature)
Wild Horse Annie -Friend of the Mustangs (non-fiction) published by Farrar Straus Giroux -written by Tracey Fern & illustrated by Steven Salerno, the true story of Velma Bronn Johnston, horse lover and animal activist who in the 1970’s was the driving force behind the Federal Laws protecting wild horses on public lands.
^ 2 new picture books illustrated by Steven Salerno, released in 2019 -The Crayon Man (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and Wild Horse Annie (Farrar Straus Giroux)
In 2018 publisher Farrar Straus Giroux released Steven’s most recent author/illustrator picture book, Tim's Goodbye. The gentle story of Margot and her friends all gathering for an unknown reason, until a visual twist within one of the illustrations reveals they’ve all gathered to give their impromptu, heartfelt goodbye to a beloved pet that has died.
"This uncomplicated tale of love, loss, friendship, and hope is a great addition for library collections..." -School Library Journal
"...the balloons add an important buoyancy to the telling, providing a possible entree to matters of the spirit, if readers desire it... A succinct text and an uncluttered design provide space to discover and process a loss." -Kirkus Reviews
"This gentle story might be just the introduction some readers seek…" -The New York Times Book Review,
^ cover of Steven’s latest author/illustrator picture book, Tim’s Goodbye published by Farrar Straus Giroux, 2018
^ cover of PRIDE -The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag published by Random House, 2018
Also released in 2018 was PRIDE -The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag written by Rob Sanders & illustrated by Steven Salerno, April 2018 by Random House. This story follows the history of the gay rights Rainbow flag, from its creation in San Francisco by designer Gilbert Baker, and gay rights activist/politician Harvey Milk (whose life was tragically cut short in 1978) to the iconic flag spanning the globe and serving as a symbol of hope for LGBTQIA people everywhere.
STEVEN’S EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING iILLUSTRATION
Over his long independent graphics career Steven has also created thousands of published illustrations for 500+ prominent clients for use in print & web advertising, magazines, newspapers, product packaging, publishing, corporate publications, and retail graphics. With skills firmly rooted in drawing tradition, stylistically his illustrations range from graphically simple and whimsical to more realistic, richly textured images with some having a retro feel.
His advertising & editorial illustrations have been recognized for excellence by Communication Arts, Print, Society for News Design, Society of Publication Designers, and The Art Director's Club.
Although Steven is primarily engaged with illustrating/writing picture books for kids he still creates illustrations for other client projects in advertising, magazines, newspapers, corporate publications, product packaging, retail graphics, etc…
^ Steven’s drawing for INXart -a political satire image service. (Trump in 2024)
^ one of Steven Salerno’s drawings appearing in The New Yorker magazine.
^ illustration for The Wall Street Journal by Steven Salerno (Covid19, unease at the gyms)
^ illustration for The New York Times by Steven Salerno (finding large apartments)
^ illustration by Steven Salerno for a book cover design project (unpublished)
^ illustration by Steven Salerno for Gold Toe Socks advertising campaign
^ illustration for The Wall Street Journal by Steven Salerno (Problems at Work Create Drama at Home).
^ illustration for FROSTER Cakes & Cupcakes by Steven Salerno
GOLF ART
In addition to Steven’s work creating illustrations for advertising, editorial, product packaging, and picture books for kids he also has a deep interest in the great game of golf and creates striking golf art and graphics, from golfscapes to depictions of legendary golf professionals both past and present. Steven’s golf art & illustrations have been published by Golf Digest, GOLF magazine, LINKS magazine, GolfWorld magazine, and his portraits of top PGA Tour players appeared in the PGATour.com Spotlight feature section. In 2012 he created a series of golfscape paintings of signature golf holes designed by Golf Hall of Fame member and 4-time Major Championship winner, golfer and architect Ernie Els -for use in a series of print ads promoting Els Design golf course architecture company.
Some of his golf art images can be seen in the golf portfolio section on stevensalerno.com
Contact Steven about your project requiring golf art and graphics.
^ portrait of American golfing legend, Ben Hogan 1953 (crayon, gouache, wood grain, digital)
^ poster, Pebble 2K10 (digital)
^ Numbers Game (crayon, gouache, wood grain, digital) 2011
To get a full overview of the illustration works of Steven Salerno visit all his various portfolio sections on stevensalerno.com