Meet the Canadian illustrator Julie Flett

Canadian Book Week 2025 Poster by Julie Flett

When I started working on kids’ books, I was learning about the languages that my grandparents had spoken, and I thought this was something I could share with kids and something I could 

contribute to my community through artwork and storytelling. 

Illustration from When we were Alone - read more here

Julie Flett is a Cree–Métis author, illustrator, and artist who has received numerous awards for her books, including two Governor General’s Awards, the American Indian Library Association Award, and the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. Her books have been selected for Best of the Year lists by media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Publisher's Weekly, The Horn Book, The Boston Globe, School Library Journal, The Globe and Mail, and Kirkus Reviews. 

I you live in Canada you can buy limited edition prints of art by Julie Flett. See more of her art here.

So much of the work that I do is connected to land based practices, and about our relationships to the land and each other, and I think this practice just came up really organically to the work. The more I work on projects, the more I fall in love with landscape and find that it grounds the work, it informs the colour palettes and tones and it grounds the characters.

Illustration from My Heart fills with Happiness

Read some Kirkus reviews:

Birdsong - Emotionally stunning. Kirkus Star review

We all Play - Flett’s characteristically minimalist compositions are deceptively simple. Readers who slow down to look will be charmed ... Kirkus Star review

Still this love goes on - This story will remain in readers’ hearts long after this book is shelved. Kirkus Star review

On the Trapline - The illustrations’ muted colors and the poetic rhythm of the words slow the world down for remembering. Kirkus Star review

In 2022 Julie Flett illustrated the International Children's Book Day poster.

As I was browsing in a city bookstore today I bumped into a former colleague and his wife who was previously a school Principal. We were chatting briefly about books and book shops and the availability of books here in Australia. Once again, I restated one of my hobby horse topics - we speak English in Australia so our children can enjoy the BEST books in the world from UK, USA, New Zealand and Canada. Yes we do have terrific books here in Australia but our kids are so lucky that we have heaps of other possibilities too. And then I said Canadian books are truly special. The former Principal utterly was amazed but I am sure if she could see books by some of the Canadian illustrators and authors I have featured here on this blog she would agree their work is some of the best in the world. I am so happy to share work here by Julie Flett. I think I might squeal if she attends the 2026 IBBY Congress in Ottawa.