Kim Sponaugle
Illustrator · Book Designer · Creative Consultant for Children’s Authors
Kim Sponaugle is a children’s book illustrator in Pilesgrove, New Jersey, who has illustrated more than 150 children’s books. Fifty-four of them are catalogued on this site with their ISBNs.
About
Twenty-five years of children’s books
Kim Sponaugle is a children’s book illustrator in Pilesgrove, New Jersey, who has illustrated more than 150 children’s books over 25 years. She works traditionally—beginning at the drawing board, finishing in Photoshop—and also advises authors on story, pacing and visual direction as a book illustration consultant.
She grew up in Penns Grove, a few towns over from where she works now, and went to Penns Grove High School. “As a kid, I developed a pretty strong imagination,” she has written. “We never went on vacations and for a time we did not even have a TV. Oh did I complain! But interestingly, the lack of the things that I longed for helped strengthen my imagination.” That is still what she draws on for a character’s expression—“be they child, bird, or dust bunny.”
She is a graduate of The Art Institute of Philadelphia and worked as a children’s curriculum associate designer for the publisher David C. Cook before moving to books full time. Her first two, Beatrice Loses Her Doll and Beatrice’s New Clothes, were published by Concordia Publishing House in 2001; the Library of Congress created her name authority record from the first of them in 2003. Picture Kitchen Studio followed in 2007.
Most of her work comes back to her. Pam Halter has hired her six times across twenty-five years, from the Beatrice books in 2001 to the Willoughby and Friends series; Hazel Pacheco four times for the Henry and Friends bird stories; Tricia Stone-Shumaker three times for Poppy’s Adventures. She has illustrated for publishers in the United States and the United Kingdom, and her books are held in national library collections including the Library of Congress and the National Library of Korea.
See every bookHow I Approach Story
Traditional illustration with a focus on characters, emotion and connection
I work “old school,” beginning at the drawing board and using Photoshop to refine and finish each piece. Whether it’s a clumsy yellow dragon, a shy flower fairy, or a thoughtful hedgehog, I focus on expressive emotion and rich, colorful rendering to make characters feel alive and memorable.
My aim is to create characters children connect with—ones they would want as a friend and return to again and again. Much of my work centers on children’s adventures, animal and fantasy stories, and faith-based storytelling, where warmth, imagination, and meaning come together on the page.
Working on a book of your own?
A second look at your story
For authors who need clarity, direction, or a second look—I also work directly with first-time and published authors to strengthen how a book reads and how it looks on the page.
Awards
Awarded to the books she illustrated — each line links to the awarding body’s own record (or its archived copy) and, where there is one, the book
5.0 out of 5 ·
working with her
20 client reviews on Reedsy
4.7 out of 5 ·
her books
860 customer ratings on Amazon
4.57 out of 5 ·
her books
192 ratings on Goodreads
- Moonbeam Children’s Book Award — Silver Medal, Best Book Series (Chapter Book), 2020, for The Bald Princess series — the record · the book 11 ratings ↗
- The Realm Award — Winner, Children’s, 2018, for Willoughby and the Terribly Itchy Itch — the record · the book 25 ratings ↗
- Purple Dragonfly Book Award — First Place (tie), Picture Books 5 & Younger, 2024, for Dirty Feet — the record · the book 33 ratings ↗
- Purple Dragonfly Book Award — 2nd Place (tie), Best Illustrations; 2nd Place (tie), Picture Books 6 & Older; Honorable Mention, Picture Books 5 & Younger, 2019, for Willoughby and the Terribly Itchy Itch — the record · the book 25 ratings ↗
- Purple Dragonfly Book Award — Honorable Mention, Best Cover Design, Best Illustrations and Picture Books 6 & Older, 2021, for Willoughby Goes A Wee Bit Batty — the record · the book 3 ratings ↗
- Christlit Book Award — 2025, for Lucy’s Adoption Song — the book 3 ratings ↗
- Readers’ Favorite — Gold Medal, Children – Concept, 2012, for Randy Kazandy, Where Are Your Glasses? — the record · the review · the book 8 ratings (Kindle edition) ↗
- Mom’s Choice Awards — Silver Recipient, Values & Life Lessons, 2010, for Randy Kazandy, Where Are Your Glasses? — archived record · the book 8 ratings (Kindle edition) ↗
- Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards — Bronze, Children’s Picture Book (e-book), 2013, for Randy the Raindrop — the record · the book
- CIPA EVVY Awards — Third Place, Children’s Story Books, 2013, for Randy the Raindrop — the record
- Purple Dragonfly Book Award — Honorable Mention, Best Illustrations, 2013, for Randy the Raindrop — the record
- Hollywood Book Festival — Honorable Mention, Children’s Books, 2013, for Randy the Raindrop — archived record
- Pinnacle Book Achievement Award — Spring 2013, Children’s Interest, for Randy the Raindrop — the record
- Global eBook Awards — Winner, Christian eBook – Children’s, 2011, for Angel Eyes — the record · the book
- American Book Fest, Best Book Awards — Finalist, Religion: General, 2024, for Can I Take It to Heaven? — the record · the book 7 ratings ↗
- Golden Wizard Book Prize — Winner, 2023, for the Ping and Po-Li books — archived record · the book
- Reader Views Literary Awards — Bronze, Early Reader (ages 6–8) and Bronze, Young Reader (ages 8–12), 2021–2022, for Later Gator — the record · the book
- Royal Dragonfly Book Awards — 1st Place (tie), Picture Books 5 & Younger, and 1st Place (tie), Picture Books 6 & Older, 2021, for Chipper Makes Merry — the record · the book 131 ratings ↗
- Literary Classics — Gold, Early Chapter Book, 2017, and the Seal of Approval, 2015 and 2017, for Nickerbacher, the Funniest Dragon — 2017 record · 2015 record · the book 40 ratings (2020 edition) ↗
- Feathered Quill Book Awards — 1st Place / Gold, Best Children’s Illustrated, 2016, for Nickerbacher, the Funniest Dragon; 3rd, Best Animal – Children’s and YA; and the Five Star Publications Award for Best Children’s Illustrated — archived record · the book 40 ratings (2020 edition) ↗
- Royal Dragonfly Book Awards — 1st Place (tie), Picture Books 6 & Older; 2nd Place, Best Photography/Illustrations; 2nd Place, Best Interior Design, 2015, for Nickerbacher — the record · the book 40 ratings (2020 edition) ↗
- Purple Dragonfly Book Awards — 1st Place, Activity Kit; 1st Place (tie), Best Illustrations; Honorable Mention, Picture Books 6 & Older, 2015, for Nickerbacher — the record · the book 40 ratings (2020 edition) ↗
- CIPA EVVY Awards — 1st Place (Gold), Children’s Picture Books, and 3rd Place (Bronze), Children’s Illustration, 2015, for Nickerbacher — the record · the book 40 ratings (2020 edition) ↗
- NAPPA — National Parenting Product Awards — Winner, Bronze, 2015, for Nickerbacher, The Funniest Dragon — the record · the book 40 ratings (2020 edition) ↗
- Readers’ Favorite — Gold Medal, Children – Grade K–3rd, 2015, for Nickerbacher, The Funniest Dragon — the record · the review · the book 40 ratings (2020 edition) ↗
- Reader Views Literary Awards — First Place, Children – Early Reader (ages 6–8), 2014–2015, for Hops; with the Reader Views Kids Award for Best Children’s Book of the Year, the Loewenherz-Creative Award for Best Children’s Picture Book, and the Conversations Award for the Best Regional Book of the Year — archived record · Amazon
- Eric Hoffer Book Award — Category Finalist, 2012, for Gazillions, Bunches, Oodles and Tons — archived record · the book
- Mom’s Choice Awards — honoree, for Nickerbacher, the Funniest Dragon, Baby Time Rhymes and Chipper Makes Merry — Nickerbacher · Baby Time Rhymes · Chipper · the books 40 ratings (2020 edition) ↗
Pilesgrove, New Jersey
Kim works from her studio in Pilesgrove, Salem County, in South Jersey, and with authors anywhere. Copies of her books sit in the county’s own library catalogue—Pennsville Public Library’s Beatrice Loses Her Doll is catalogued as autographed by author and illustrator.
Say hello — I read every message myself.
