Bea Jackson is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Parker Looks Up and From My Head to My Toes. Bea loves telling stories through her art, from dynamic and diverse character design, to delightfully fun and energetic children’s book illustrations. She attended the College for Creative Studies and was the Grand Prize Winner of the L Ron Hubbard’s Illustrator of the Future Award in 2007. With over 15 years of experience as a freelance illustrator, Bea works in a variety of art styles. In addition to her work as a children’s book illustrator, character and concept artist, Bea’s work has been featured on the covers of books, comics, and in various magazines and articles. In 2021, Target launched Bea’s Christmas Artist Series Collection, which included gift bags, gift boxes and wrapping paper.
New Release as an Author/Illustrator!
LILY’S DREAM: A FAIRY FRIENDSHIP (FAIRIES WELCOME)
A flightless fairy befriends a human girl and discovers her magic in this enchanting picture book from the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Parker Looks Up.
Lily is a young fairy determined to learn to fly just like the others who soar on shimmering, jeweled-colored wings, but she’s worried her own colorless wings will never lift her off the ground. Then she meets a young girl named Willow who helps her not only discover her special magic, but the truly magical gift of friendship.
OUR BEAUTIFUL COLORS: 
This Little Golden Book features beautiful illustrations and rhyming text about colors, plus a social justice theme that encourages Black children to celebrate themselves.
Beautiful colors—look up and look down.
Beautiful babies in all shades of brown.
This delightful concept book doesn’t just teach colors—it does so with a focus on brown as a celebration and a validation of Black children. As beautiful Black babies play together in a park, they discover yellow flowers, red berries, green grass, and more. This Little Golden Book offers a way for families with very young children to begin addressing themes of diversity and equality.
PARKER LOOKS UP: 
A New York Times bestseller!
A visit to Washington, DC’s National Portrait Gallery forever alters Parker Curry’s young life when she views First Lady Michelle Obama’s portrait.
When Parker Curry came face-to-face with Amy Sherald’s transcendent portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama at the National Portrait Gallery, she didn’t just see the First Lady of the United States. She saw a queen—one with dynamic self-assurance, regality, beauty, and truth who captured this young girl’s imagination. When a nearby museum-goer snapped a photo of a mesmerized Parker, it became an internet sensation. Inspired by this visit, Parker, and her mother, Jessica Curry, tell the story of a young girl and her family, whose trip to a museum becomes an extraordinary moment, in a moving picture book.
Parker Looks Up follows Parker, along with her baby sister and her mother, and her best friend Gia and Gia’s mother, as they walk the halls of a museum, seeing paintings of everyone and everything from George Washington Carver to Frida Kahlo, exotic flowers to graceful ballerinas. Then, Parker walks by Sherald’s portrait of Michelle Obama…and almost passes it. But she stops…and looks up!
Parker saw the possibility and promise, the hopes and dreams of herself in this powerful painting of Michelle Obama. An everyday moment became an extraordinary one…that continues to resonate its power, inspiration, and indelible impact. Because, as Jessica Curry said, “anything is possible regardless of race, class, or gender.”
Visit Bea Jackson:
Her Instagram handle is Bea GIFTED for a reason. We are gifted through the art she shares, and I’m really excited that she’s getting a chance to share her writing group. Congratulations, Ms. Jackson!