Let’s take a dive into ILLUSTORIA magazine!

Illustoria is a print magazine for creative kids & their grownups. We celebrate visual storytelling, makers and DIY culture through stories, art, comics, interviews, crafts and activities. Our high-quality, tri-annual publication is geared toward readers ages 6–12 and the young at heart.- via ILLUSTORIA

I recently had the great fortune of getting to read the latest issue of ILLUSTORIA magazine, Issue #7: Black & White, thanks to some lovely people from the magazine*, so read on for my take on this truly marvelous, imaginative and flat-out beautiful discovery.

I was sure that a well-designed, thoughtful, contemporary children’s magazine–one that celebrated visual storytelling and artists as much as it did a DIY ethos–was not only missing but would be welcomed by a new generation of parents and young readers. Where was the publication, like all those wonderful children’s books, that I’d want to read and feel inspired by as much as my own two kids would? I couldn’t wait to shepherd the idea to life.- Co-founder Joanne Meiyi Chan, via ILLUSTORIA

ILLUSTORIA, a print magazine published three times a year, is a perfect read for any fans of children’s lit, graphic novel enthusiasts, lovers of kid lit art, and those who enjoy crafting, DIY, reading stories and comics, or creating any kind of art. Founded by Joanne Meiyi Chan, a former book editor, and Mark Rogero, founder and principal of a design and fabrication studio, ILLUSTORIA magazine is: a place for visual storytelling and DIY culture. We commission and celebrate the works of established and up-and-coming artists, writers and makers. As an example of the pretty awesome range of contents in just ONE issue of the magazine, let’s turn to the issue I received, Issue #7: Black & White: a feature interview with How to Make Friends with a Ghost author and artist Rebecca Green (whose work I adore); a spread with a “brief history of black and white”; an interview with artist Paul Madonna; an interview with Hortense and the Shadow author Natalia O’Hara, with featured art by the book’s illustrator Lauren O’Hara; a DIY guide to shadow puppets; comics by Sofie Louise Dam, a comic and Q&A with artist Basak Agauglu, and more.

Past issues have included features, interviews, and even comics by artists and authors like Cece Bell, Aaron Becker, Peter Brown, Yuko Higuchi, Amy Novesky, Hervé Tullet, and Tony DiTerlizzi…and many, many, many more acclaimed and new talents. Each issue of the magazine also includes book recommendations (terrific titles selected in Issue #7, including new-to-me ones, which just made my heart sing!), music recommendations, recipes, writing and drawing prompts and activities, as well as art submitted by younger readers. You can take a look at the selection of photos below which highlight just some of the content within the pages.

It might be safe to say that I quite love this magazine- such a terrific and welcome surprise! It is a keeper of a magazine- and it is one that you really do want to happily save (and re-read) alongside comics, art books, graphic novels, etc. I could see this magazine making a home in an elementary and/or middle school; maybe even at a high school or at an art program/institution. It might even be worth exploring for a library whose patronage is especially art/comic-focused. On the whole, ILLUSTORIA is beautiful and high-quality. As someone who is so entrenched in kid lit (and delighted to be familiar with some artists featured), ILLUSTORIA is a special delight; I feel that the magazine is just a perfect for other children’s librarians! Teachers and educators would find much to love in the magazine as well and want to share with colleagues and students; but the reach of the magazine really does extend to any individuals- kids and grown-ups alike!- who enjoy any of the aspects and topics that the magazine focuses on.

Learn more about ILLUSTORIA:

The ILLUSTORIA Story

The ILLUSTORIA Blog

Subscription and shop info

You can follow ILLUSTORIA on: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest!

I received a copy of ILLUSTORIA Issue #7: Black & White courtesy of the kind folks at Illustoria in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All opinions and comments are my own.