Children’s Book Author Dedicates Her Work to Animals

Katrin Wiehle’s illustrations are in many ways a continuation of her childhood. “I grew up in the countryside, in a tiny village in the north of Germany, surrounded by trees, horses, cows, and sheep,” recalled the illustrator and children book author in an interview with Lake

Jump forward two decades or so later, and she’s now based in Atlanta, GA with her husband, child, and two cats. But Wiehle’s work, whimsical and somewhat nostalgic, still very much reflects where she came from. “I love drawing trees, animals and folk art inspired stuff,” she admits. “And drawing something symmetrical is a lot of fun for me. It’s probably because I like things to be sorted and in order.”

With a growing fanbase both online and offline, her work has caught the attention of children worldwide (as well as their parents!); with one particular children’s book, Professor Pfeffer, awarded one of the most beautiful books in 2010 by Stiftung Buchkunst, as well as the junior award of the Academy of children’s literature in Germany.

“I love seeing pictures on social media of kids pouring over my books,” saysWiehle. “I feel fortunate and very thankful that this is what I get to do for a living. To see someone else enjoying my work is the best reward.” You’ll want to raise your children on her work.