About Rafael López

The illustrations created by Rafael López bring diverse characters to children's books and he works to produce and promote books that reflect and honor the lives of all young people.

Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You, written by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor focuses on differently abled kids working together to create a garden. The book is a #1 New York Times Children's Picture Books Bestseller and won the American Library Association's 2020 Schneider Family Book Award. His 2018 picture book release, The Day You Begin written by Jacqueline Woodson was also a New York Times #1 Children's Picture Books Bestseller and the recipient of the 2019 Jane Addams Children's Book Award.

Rafael López has received three Pura Belpré Award medals from the American Library Association for Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln (2020) Drum Dream Girl (2016) and Book Fiesta! (2010). In addition he secured three Pura Belpré honors and recent books include a collaboration on Sunny Day: A Celebration of the Sesame Street Theme Song to honor the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street.

His illustrations for Bravo! Poems about Amazing Hispanics were honored with the 2017 Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators New York Original Art Exhibition.

The book Maybe Something Beautiful based on his own work reclaiming neighborhoods with community murals secured the 2017 Tomás Rivera Book Award. Additional children's books have received three Pura Belpré honors and two Américas Book Awards for illustration.

In 2012 he was asked by the Library of Congress to create the National Book Festival Poster featuring best-selling authors, poets and illustrators on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

He has created twelve stamps for the United States Postal Service.

To learn more visit rafaellopez.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_L%C3%B3pez_(illustrator_and_artist)
http://www.rafaellopez-books.com/
http://www.rafaellopez.com/blog/