Hi there!

My name is Juleesa Iris Espinoza (née Torres), and I’m an aspiring children’s book illustrator. I am Latina with Guatemalan heritage living in Chicago. Ever since I was a young child, I have been captivated by the wonders of children’s literature. Their whimsical and imaginative worlds fascinated me and took hold of my imagination. And although I grew older, I never left those books behind. As an artist, I now create those worlds myself. 

I love working with watercolor and also exploring digital techniques with my illustrations. I strive to create vivid characters full of emotion and worlds filled with color and texture.

With my illustrations, I hope to contribute to the wondrous nature of children’s books, inspiring young readers for generations to come.

Some of my favorite artists include Bill Watterson and Jim Henson. As a child, my favorite children’s book was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, written by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault and illustrated by Lois Ehlert. In my spare time, I create comic strips and chat with my tortoise, Picasso!

My debut children’s book, Emilia’s Corte, was published by Soaring Kite Books in 2024. I’ve also created comic strips for Cricket Magazine in 2022 and 2023.