Mora, Magdalena

Magdalena Mora is a picture book illustrator. She is the illustrator of Equality’s Call (written by Deborah Diesen) and of I Wish You Knew (written by Jackie Azúa Kramer, 2021). Originally from Chicago, she now lives in South Minneapolis and has recently served as a 2019-2020 Loft Literary Center Windows and Mirrors Fellow.

For 1st-8th grade student presentations, I present a slideshow about how I went from being a kid who loved to read, write, and draw to being a professional illustrator. I show artwork and some of the first “books” I made as a kid and talk about some of the stories I loved to read when I was growing up. I also give students a look into my process as an illustrator, how I come up with ideas for what to draw, followed by a reading of Equality’s Call (or a future published book) and Q&A. I’m also happy to add on a drawing demonstration or lead an art activity. My presentations can be adjusted to suit the age, size, and interest of the audience.