About Esme

Esme Shapiro is an illustrator and author of books for children.

esme was born in los angeles, california. most of her childhood was spent roaming around the dry brush and blossomed succulents in laurel canyon. In 2010, She ventured east to attend the Rhode Island school of design IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND. she now splits her time between the hudson valley and new york city. her favorite place to paint is in her studio at her farm house in the catskills, where she surrounds herself with many animals and flowers. she lives with her husband, daniel kaufman, who is a filmmaker, and their two scruffy dogs, chebini and olympia. She will never say no to a bagel.

Esme’s childhood has never roamed too far from her heart, and she has a deep held belief that that time in one’s life is immensely powerful. Children are always busy at work, carving out their inner worlds that eventually become the foundation for the rest of their lives. Esme makes books that aim to be fuel for their imaginations, with a strong emphasis on the importance of empathy and friendship.

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Esmé is a past recipient of both the Nancy Lee Rhodes Roberts Scholarship and the SILA West 53 Gold Award-Phillip Hayes Scholarship. She has exhibited at The Society of Illustrators and her work has been featured in Taproot, Quill and Quire, and Plansponsor Magazines. Her first book, OOKO, was nominated for a Governor General's Literary Award and was # 1 on the National Post Best Seller's List.