A Letter From Our Founder
*full image credits—see below*
Dear Readers,
It’s hard to believe that Illustoria is 10 years old!
It’s been an astonishing ride—a decade of gorgeously illustrated issues, creative collaborations, stories, interviews, events, making together, friendships and getting to know so many of you readers of all ages and backgrounds.
My heart is bursting with gratitude, seeing Illustoria grow and thrive in a way I never imagined.
For those of you who are new here, a little background on the magazine’s origins:
Before Illustoria’s launch in 2016, I had been working as a children’s book editor and was a busy mom of two young kids. I craved a respite from the popular types of entertainment marketed to children, and wanted a slower pace of life that prioritized presence, playfulness, curiosity and creativity.
With the support of my partner Mark, a designer and maker, we developed and iterated on a concept for a high-quality print magazine that kids and grownups could equally enjoy. There would be artful stories and engaging activities, interviews with celebrated artists and writers, crafty tips and tools of the trade, kid-lit book reviews and all-ages playlists, easy recipes and fave art supply recs. I aspired to create a publication that would inspire and embolden readers to explore and have fun with creative expression.
A serendipitous coming together of some wonderful folks made it all happen: enthusiastic friends, advisers and staff—Elizabeth Haidle and Claire Astrow among them who continue to bring their artistic direction and creative touch to the magazine today; my colleagues in indie publishing and at big houses alike, who shared advice and hard-earned wisdom; the booksellers and small shop owners—thanks to Hannah deBree’s warm introductions—willing to take a chance on the magazine, peddled from the trunk of our cars and delivered by hand.
None of it would have been possible without the incredible early contributors, artists and writers who shared their gorgeous work and unique perspectives, making Illustoria instantly captivating and winning over fellow lovers of kid-lit. We leaned heavily on the support of early readers and reviewers, who believed in the magazine from the get-go and gave us such needed endorsements and encouragement. Thank you, all!
My two older kids are now 18 and 20, and perhaps some of you have grown children too. Thirty issues in, it’s humbling to reflect on the many readers and subscribers through the years, wondering if Illustoria may have played a small part in the lives of your own creative kids, some of whom may be embarking into adulthood and ready to make their own marks in the world.
Whether you are here as parents, librarians, educators, artists, writers, picture book and comics lovers, or all-around art-loving, creative folks, thank you for being on this journey with us and making Illustoria possible. It truly could not last ten years without the support of every single one of you.
What’s astounding about creating something is that it grows and evolves as we do. McSweeney’s has been spearheading the magazine since 2019 and making it stronger in every way. I am so grateful to Dave Eggers for his vision and publisher Amanda Uhle for making this all possible—bringing Illustoria into its decade anniversary with such imagination, passion and commitment. As part of the International Alliance of Youth Writing Centers, Illustoria has been amplifying youth voices from around the world for years now. The outpouring of passion and joy packed into each issue from contributors of all ages never fails to astonish me.
Of late, I’ve also been cultivating Illustoria in new directions. This month we launched Studio-Shop, a curated selection of art supplies and desk objects for all ages, inspired by the magazine’s popular On Our Desk feature. I hope you’ll discover some beloved items and perfect gifts that spark joy and inspire creativity.
We recently launched digital editions of our classic pre-McSweeney’s issues—many long out of print and finally available to a new generation of readers. These editions are intentionally as low-fi and old-school tech as it gets; I just love the “paper flipping” sound each page turn makes.
Lastly, I’m thrilled to announce that Illustoria is now published in China! Our Chinese publishing partner, Miaosi Books, is translating the magazine beautifully and reaching thousands more readers across the ocean from our California home.
A million heartfelt thanks to all of you for making our ten-year anniversary possible. I’m beyond excited to see what the next ten years may bring!
With gratitude,
Joanne Meiyi Chan
p.s. If you would like to share any stories about your experiences with Illustoria over the past decade, please reach out to me at joanne@illustoria.com. I would love to hear from you!
* Image credits
Top row—photo by Melissa Kaseman; Issue #1 Beginnings cover; detail from Matt Forsythe’s Issue #12 Upcycle; spread of Literary Giants as Kids by Elizabeth Haidle; McSweeney’s & Illustoria partnership logo
Middle Row—spread of a feature on Yayoi Kusama by Jason Sturgill in Issue #15 Big & Small; “Our Story” vignette illustrations by Lisa Brown, Paul du Coudray, E. Haidle; Jon Klassen cover art for Issue #19: Cats & Dogs; Claire Astrow and Annie Dills with young artist-reader at SF Art Book Fair
Bottom Row—art by Seo Kim in Issue #19: Cats & Dogs; maze by Emmy Kastner from Issue #17: Senses; young artist featured in Drawn By You; art by Weng Pixin from Issue #27: Bugs; our 10th Anniversary Issue #30 Mail, featuring cover art by Pablo Auladell
