Kristin Varner

Kristin Varner is an award-winning author, illustrator, and graphic novelist based in the Pacific Northwest. She grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Utah, where she fell in love with animals. Kristin received her degree in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and has created art for children’s books, games, apparel, and toys. Kristin lives on a wooded island near Seattle, Washington with her husband and daughter, a mischievous kitty, and one big, snoozing dog. When she’s not illustrating adorable animals in her studio, you’ll likely find her riding a bike—or a horse!

Photo Credit: Jenny Jimenez

Visit Kristin at:

website | www.kristinvarner.com/
instagram | varnertown

For more information, please contact Teresa Kietlinski at teresa(a)bookmarkliterary.com.

Kristin’s Bookshelf:

Ski Bunny
by Kristin Varner
S&S Beach Lane Books, forthcoming

Dog Trouble
by Kristin Varner
First Second, 2024
“A successful story of overcoming challenges with compassion and patience, and a recommended purchase for libraries, especially for those who can’t seem to have enough graphic novels for their patrons.” ―School Library Journal
“Varner’s (Horse Trouble) graphic-novel storytelling is well paced and compelling… A tender story of friendship (human and animal), family, and growing into oneself.”—Horn Book Magazine
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
• a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection
• a Texas Library Association (TLA) Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List selection, 2025
• an ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List nominee, 2024
• an Oklahoma Library Association Sequoyah Children’s nominee, 2026
• an Oklahoma Library Association Sequoyah Intermediate nominee, 2026
• a Michigan Great Lakes Great Books Award nominee, 4th and 5th grade, 2025-2026
• a Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Titles Junior List, 2025
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foreign Editions:
• French | Les Editions Rue De Sevres

For translation rights inquiries, please contact rightsmix(at)gmail.com

Horse Trouble
by Kristin Varner | First Second, 2021
“Kate’s first-person narration imbues a matter-of-fact tone, matched by panels—sketched in blue pencil and digitally inked—that carefully detail expressive Kate’s ups, downs, and in-betweens.”—Publishers Weekly
“Although horses are Kate’s ‘thing,’ readers don’t need to be horse lovers to empathize with her self-consciousness and growing self-confidence.”—School Library Journal
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
• a 2022 Texas Library Association (TLA) Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List selection
• a 2021 ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List selection
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foreign Editions:
• German | Ueberreuter Verlag
• French | Les Editions Rue De Sevres
• Polish | Dwie Siostry