Pei Jen Children's Book Illustrator

Children's book illustrator.

Bringing your stories to life.

I'm Pei Jen. Since 2018 I've illustrated 25 published picture books for authors and small presses in the US, UK and Asia — from the first rough sketch all the way to the files your printer needs.

Start a book project See published books

Currently booking picture book projects.

A parent and child reading together in bed by torchlight, with a small blue cloud character curled up beside them
  • 25published picture books
  • 10authors
  • 6came back for another book
  • 2018illustrating books since

Selected spreads

A few pages from recent books. Every title, with covers and full sequences, is on the books page.

Bees and butterflies around a golden hive among large flowers, digital picture-book illustration
Busy Bee's Perfect Dive Trudy Davidson · Self-published · 2021
Frances Flamingo
Frances Flamingo Dottie Lee
A boy and his father baking bread in a warm kitchen with a cat and a dog watching, digital picture-book spread
Kneading a Winning Idea Terri Sabol · Self-published · 2021
A mouse and a cat in a cosy caravan kitchen filled with jars and vegetables, digital picture-book spread
Little Mouse's Tasty Find Trudy Davidson · Self-published · 2021
A child asleep in bed with a teddy bear, stars on the curtains behind
Ready, Set, It's Time for Bed Teneil Brown · Self-published
See all published books

How a book gets made

A picture book usually takes [3-4] months from first conversation to print-ready files. Here's the shape of it.

  1. 01

    Conversation and quote

    You send the manuscript. We talk about tone, age range, format and budget. Sign NDA. Made front payment.

    [1 week]
  2. 02

    Character design

    I design and draw your cast and setting.

    [2–3 weeks]
  3. 03

    Storyboard

    Every page thumbnailed, so you see the whole book before a single spread is painted. The storyboard will be on Google slide (we both discuss, make comment, and you are able to see the progress)

    [1–2 weeks]
  4. 04

    Illustration

    Sketches, then base colour, if confirmed then will move to final colour, in batches you review as we go.

    [8–12 weeks]
  5. 05

    Files and hand-off

    Print-ready files, cover, and whatever your printer needs.

    [1 week]

Have a manuscript?

Tell me about it — the story, the age it's for, and roughly when you'd like to publish.

Start a book project

I read every enquiry myself and reply within two working days (Malaysia, UTC+8).