LANSING, Mich. — Imagine illustrating a children's book, and then, that book goes to number one on the New York Times Best Seller list not long after it's release. Well, that's what happened to Kate Cosgrove, a Lansing-area illustrator.
Cosgrove knew from an early age what she wanted to be when she grew up.
“We did the young authors program at my elementary school, and I met an illustrator, and I was like, 'Oh, she's the coolest, that's what I want to do,'” Cosgrove said.
She went to art school at Michigan State University and spent some time as a graphic designer before making her way back to her true passion.
“I think I have sort of like an inner Peter Pan, and I don't have to grow up, and I get to work from home, which is good because I'm a pretty shy person," Cosgrove said. "So I get to spend a lot of time just kind of in my imagination doing what I love the most, which is draw.”
Now, Cosgrove is a children's book illustrator with six published books and many more illustrations in self-published author books.
She started with science books. "And the Bullfrogs Sing: A Life Cycle" was her debut and has since illustrated another science book about bugs and will soon be working on another one.
Now, she has a new book on shelves called "A Day With No Words"written by Tiffany Hammond.
“This one is always going to be very special to me," Cosgrove said. “The story is about this little boy Aiden, who is a child who has autism, and he is nonverbal, and he uses tablet to speak and communicate.”
And this story is one that hits close to home.
“My daughter also has autism, and she did not really speak much until she was five," Cosgrove said. "The words that the author wrote, and the experience that the author had, and she actually is an autistic woman with an autistic child, who is nonverbal. So I think it was like Alice in Wonderland, like I had been in like that space before and it just was a beautiful fit.”
And nothing beats opening the box of the finished product for the first time, especially when your proud of your work.
“There’s nothing like it," Cosgrove said. "For me, it is one of the best moments in the process.”
"A Day With No Words" can be found in bookstores near you, including local bookstores. It can also be found online on Amazon.
Kate Cosgrove will be at Odd Nodd Art Supply in Old Town on Friday, June 2, for Lansing's Art Night Out. She will have her artwork on display and will be signing books.
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