Children’s Book Illustrator Needed — 48-Page Filipino/Ilocano Cultural Story, Mid-September Deadline

I’m looking for an illustrator for a 48-page children’s picture book (ages 3–7) set in the Philippines during the Filipino Christmas season — the “ber” months beginning in September. The story follows a boy named Lino as he builds a parol for his cousin traveling from America, loses it in a storm, and searches for it through Simbang Gabi. It’s about diaspora, family, and the light that holds people together across distance.

The cultural world of this book is Ilocano and Filipino — specifically Northern Luzon. That specificity is non-negotiable. Generic “Asian village” aesthetics will not work here.

Who will succeed in this role

You do not have to be Filipino. But you have to be willing to go deep. I am an experienced visual director — I have prompted and produced full illustrated books using AI and I know exactly how to communicate scene, mood, light, composition, and cultural detail. I will give you everything you need. What I need from you is the skill, the sensitivity, and the willingness to get it right.

If you have illustrated cultural or heritage stories before — especially for communities outside your own — tell me about that. How you approached it matters as much as the result.

What the illustrations need to carry

• Northern Luzon specificity — tricycles, calamansi trees, sampaguita, Simbang Gabi candlelight, banana-leaf-wrapped food, the quiet streets before dawn
• Nanang is young — Lino’s mother, not his grandmother
• The parol is a central character — red, green, and gold; it carries emotional weight across every spread
• Light is the visual language of this entire book — every scene either reaches toward it or rests in it
• Warm, expressive faces; emotional temperature in every scene

What I bring

• Locked manuscript
• AI-generated spread references for mood, pacing, and composition — directional, not prescriptive
• Clear, specific visual direction on every page
• A co-author who is a native Ilocano speaker from San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte — cultural accuracy will be verified

Timeline

Mid-September 2026. This is a firm target tied to Filipino American Heritage Month in October.

Budget and structure

Open to flat fee, royalty share, or hybrid arrangement. Looking to build a working relationship beyond this book.

To apply

Share your portfolio, any cultural or heritage illustration work, and a brief note on your approach to illustrating outside your own cultural background — or inside it, if that applies.