Growing up, MERRILL RAINEY spent most of his Saturday afternoons watching monster movies, drawing superheroes, and going on imaginary adventures with his brothers. Today, he is a cowboy-boot-wearing, award-winning illustrator, designer, and paper engineer. Merrill likes to experiment with tools and uses marker, cut paper, or water soluble graphite to create his illustrations. He has served on faculty at the Highlights Foundation and is currently the illustrator coordinator for the Northern Ohio chapter of the SCBWI. Merrill lives in the historic town of Maumee, Ohio, with his editor (his wife), subject matter experts (his kids), and very opinionated coworkers (two pups, two goldfish, and some crabby hermit crabs).
Awards:
• Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), Magazine Merit Award, Letter of Merit, 2016
• Highlights Magazine Illustrator of the Month, Pewter Plate award, June 2016
• Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), Magazine Merit Award, Two Letters of Merit, 2015
• Highlights Magazine Illustrator of the Month, Pewter Plate award, May 2015
www.instagram.com/littlerainey
Merrill’s Bookshelf:
by Florence Parry Heide
illustrated by Merrill Rainey
Holiday House | 2023
by Merrill Rainey
HarperCollins | 2022
by Merrill Rainey
HarperCollins | 2022
Odd Dot Books | 2020
• an Amazon Editor’s Pick, Best Nonfiction for Kids
by Merrill Rainey
Odd Dot Books | 2020
illustrated by Merrill Rainey
Intergalactic Afikoman | 2022
“Rainey’s redheaded protagonist and good-natured cartooning have an animation-style energy and eagerness; readers may notice that the drawings’ softly mottled textures are reminiscent of matzo itself. The lesson is clear: Passover is wherever you hang-or float-your hat.”—Publishers Weekly
Clients include:
American Greetings • Highlights Magazine • Humpty Dumpty Magazine • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt • Jack and Jill Magazine • Kellogg’s • Ladybug Magazine • Learning A-Z (Raz-Kids) • McGraw Hill Education • Picture Window Books • Pockets Magazine • Ohio Art • Scholastic • Spider Magazine • Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin Random House)
Bookmark Literary 