Growing up, award-winning author illsutrator MERRILL RAINEY spent most of his Saturday afternoons drawing, watching monster movies, and going on imaginary adventures with his brothers. Today, he is a cowboy-boot-wearing, picture-book-creator and paper-toy-maker. He creates his art tra-digitally—using pencil, papers, and a mix of digital magic.
Merrill also works for many children’s magazines like Highlights, Ranger Rick, and Humpty Dumpty. Merrill’s work focuses on exploring creativity and imaginative play. He has served on faculty at the Highlights Foundation retreat center and is the former illustrator coordinator for the Northern Ohio chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Merrill lives in the Village of Whitehouse, Ohio, with his editor (his wife), subject matter experts (his kids), and some very opinionated coworkers (one pup, a toad, two goldfish, and some crabby hermit crabs)!
★ “Rainey’s art is integral to the story.”—Booklist
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
by Susan E. Goodman illus by Merril Rainey Astra Hippo Park | 2025 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
★ “Rainey’s art is integral to the story. Much of it is told in graphic-novel-style panels, and Dr. Doodlebug sketches doodles (of course!) to help answer the other insects’ questions. The playful writing integrates plenty of insect puns (e.g., a gnat named Gnatalie), and the colorful cartoon illustrations will easily hold readers’ attention. Imaginative and engaging, this mix of fact and fiction makes learning about insects fun.”—Booklist, starred review
“Bug facts are fodder for a radio call-in show with insect expert Dr. Doodlebug in this comic for kids who keep asking how and why about all things critters”—Publisher’s Weekly Early Reader Comics Spotlight
Building Block Books: My First Town by Merrill Rainey Odd Dot | 2025
Giants Are Very Brave People by Florence Parry Heide illustrated by Merrill Rainey Holiday House | 2023 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • a Cybils Awards nominee, 2023 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“A boy named Bigelow is afraid of clouds, rain, alphabet soup, and almost everything else (except his mother). Walking outside, he hears a high-pitched scream. Looking down, he sees tiny Mrs. Pimberly, who fears that he’ll step on her little house. Instead, he sits down in her yard to chat. She confides that she’s never met a giant before and is afraid that he’ll eat her. Surprised, Bigelow responds that he’s a regular-sized boy who is afraid of nearly everything. Taking an interest in his problem, she advises him to act brave until he feels brave and to practice shouting “FEE FI FO FUM.” Bigelow gradually develops courage and finds a way to thank the kind lady. Originally published in 1970 with more dreamlike pictures, the story holds up well, and the new illustrations, created with graphite pencil and digital tools, are colorful and imaginative. The depiction of Bigelow with blue skin is one of several elements that root the story firmly in the realm of fantasy. A heartening picture book that can boost almost anyone’s courage.”—Booklist
“A young giant learns to be brave. Bigelow, a blue-skinned giant with dark hair, is scared of just about everything except his mom: clouds, rain, baths, and alphabet soup (“What if I swallowed the letters that spelled a magic word that would turn me into a mushroom?”). One day he’s out for a walk when he encounters a tan-skinned, brown-haired human named Mrs. Pimberly, who is similarly terrified to come across the oversized youth. There is an extended back-and-forth on the nature of perspective; both refuse to be characterized as large or small, each stubbornly claiming the title of “regular size.” Then Bigelow and Mrs. Pimberly get down to the task of overcoming the giant’s timidity—she suggests the traditional chant of “Fee Fi Fo Fum!” and Bigelow realizes that by pretending to be courageous, he can in fact become brave. He ends by bathing and eating alphabet soup without fear and then helps Mrs. Pimberly overcome some anxieties of her own. This lengthy story feels like it belongs to an earlier time thanks to both the text-heavy pages and the simple fairy-tale setting. Children may enjoy following Bigelow’s example and shouting “Fee Fi Fo Fum!” at the things that scare them, but as an exploration of anxiety it comes off a bit flat, and the worldbuilding leaves open a lot of questions. Fee fi fo fine.”—Kirkus
“Updated with new illustrations from Rainey (Asteroid Goldberg), this previously published story by late author and poet Heide stars a blue-skinned boy named Bigelow who’s anxious about nearly everything, including clouds, alphabet soup, and rainwater. Then one day Bigelow encounters a “little lady” called Mrs. Pimberly, portrayed with pale skin, who is even more afraid than he is—and he’s the reason why. Compared to Mrs. Pimberly, it turns out, Bigelow is an actual giant. But Bigelow is kind and considerate (he assures her he won’t eat her, and sits down carefully so as not to squash her house), and Mrs. Pimberly offers up advice, suggesting that acting brave might result in feeling brave, and teaching him “Fee Fi Fo Fum” as a mantra. Newly confident, Bigelow returns the favor by setting up his enormous toy train for the untraveled Mrs. Pimberly, helping her to see the world for the first time. The storytelling’s unabashed sincerity balances well-trod themes of empathy and self-esteem, and the new illustrations follow suit, channeling an openhearted feel with big shapes, a playful palette, and poster-like compositions.“—Publisher’s Weekly
“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)
Teresa Kietlinski | Literary Agent Teresa Kietlinski began a new chapter in her career in 2016 with the launch of BOOKMARK LITERARY, an agency dedicated to creating exceptional illustrated […]
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