Phoebe Wahl is an award-winning children’s book author, illustrator, and surface designer whose work focuses on themes of comfort, fantasy, and intimacy with nature and one another. She grew up unschooled in Washington state and credits her free-range childhood in the Northwest for much of her inspiration and values.
Phoebe's first children’s book, Sonya’s Chickens was the recipient of the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for New Illustrator, and her most recent book, Little Witch Hazel was an Indie Bestseller, Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Title, as well as being named one of the Best Books of 2021 by BookPage, BookRiot, Booklist and the Chicago Public Library. Her other titles include The Blue House, Backyard Fairies, Paper Mice (written by Megan Wagner-Lloyd) and the forthcoming illustrated YA novel Phoebe’s Diary (Little, Brown 2023).
Her clients include The New York Times, Maisonette, Figo Fabrics, Ingrid Michaelson, Patagonia, and Anna Sui.
Phoebe lives in Bellingham, Washington with her family and two rambunctious cats.
Phoebe is represented by Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary.
General inquiries: hello@phoebewahl.com
Book/Publishing Related: Please contact Phoebe's literary agent.
Snail Mail: 2125 Humboldt St., Bellingham, WA 98225
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Best Book Friends, Episode #79, Phoebe Wahl Pt. 1
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Best Book Friends, Episode #80, Phoebe Wahl Pt. 2
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SLJ: The Blue House Cover Reveal & Interview with Betsey Bird
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Growing Up Unschooling, Episode #90
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Artists of the North Sound, Phoebe Wahl
Where can I buy your books?
Phoebe’s books are available anywhere books are sold. To purchase online while supporting local independent bookstores, we recommend IndieBound.
We also encourage you to request copies at your local library!
When is your next book coming out?
Phoebe's Diary (Little, Brown) will tentatively be released in 2023, final release date TBA.
Are your books available in any languages besides English?
Sonya's Chickens is currently available in Japanese, Chinese, Turkish, Italian and French.
Backyard Fairies is available in Dutch, and The Blue House is available in French.
If you are interested in publishing one of Phoebe's books in another language, please contact it's publisher.
Would Phoebe be interested in illustrating my book?
If you have a publisher, maybe! Please contact Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary with book and publishing related inquiries.
Do you take on commissions/custom work?
Occasionally. Please contact Phoebe's team with your request.
Will you speak at my school or business?
Maybe! Please reach out for availability and rates.
I own a shop and would like to carry Phoebe's merchandise. Do you wholesale?
Yes! Please contact Phoebe's wholesale team. If you’re interested in carrying her books, please contact the publisher or a distributor directly.
Are your products available at any brick & mortar locations?
Yes! A full list of stockists will be posted soon on our shop website.
What mediums do you use?
Phoebe’s full color illustrations are a mix of watercolor, collage with found and painted papers, colored pencil, and gouache. Her black and white ink drawings are made with brushes and ink or brush pen. For most surface design work, such as letterpressed and screen-printed items, Phoebe works digitally in Photoshop using a Wacom Cintiq 22HD and stylus pen. Her fabric sculptures utilize wool felt and various thrifted and repurposed fabrics sewn around a wire armature.
What brand of sketchbook do you use?
Either homemade or Hand Book Journal Co. sketchbooks.