Laura Freeman facts for kids

Laura Freeman is a talented children's book illustrator. She studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Laura has brought many books to life with her drawings and has also worked for Highlights for Children.

Her illustrations for the picture book Hidden Figures were highly praised. A reviewer from School Library Journal called them "stunning" and full of details, including diagrams, math formulas, and space themes. In 2019, Laura Freeman won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Children for Hidden Figures, sharing it with the writer Margot Lee Shetterly.

Early Life

Laura Freeman grew up in New York City. She was the older of two sisters. Her father, James Freeman, was African American, and her mother, Gertrude, was Russian-Jewish. Her sister is the singer Roberta Freeman.

Laura knew she wanted to be an illustrator from a very young age, around five years old. Even though she later thought about becoming a ballerina or an editorial illustrator, she always came back to her dream of illustrating.

She chose to attend the School of Visual Arts because it had many experienced illustration teachers. It was also an affordable choice for her at the time.

Career Highlights

Laura Freeman did not become a famous illustrator right away. She took on different jobs to earn money. These jobs included painting store windows, working as a waitress, and even working for Polo and Ralph Lauren.

Her first hardcover book as an illustrator was Jazz Baby by Carole Boston Weatherford, published in 2002. Later, she wrote and illustrated her first own book, Natalie's Hair Was Wild!.

Today, Laura mainly uses Photoshop for her children's book illustrations. She even uses it for her first sketches. When she starts a new project, she gets the story text and plans how the words and pictures will fit together.

Laura believes that research is very important, especially when illustrating biographies. Before the internet, she would visit the New York Public Library to find pictures of almost anything she needed. She loves illustrating biographies because she enjoys learning about the people she draws. She hopes that young readers will see themselves in these important figures. Laura describes her art style as realistic but also playful. She uses different colors and textures to make her illustrations look like a collage.

Books Illustrated by Laura Freeman

Laura Freeman has illustrated many books. Here are some of them:

As Illustrator and Author

• Natalie's Hair Was Wild!
• Here We Go Looby Loo
• If You're Happy and You Know It

As Illustrator

• A Seat at the Table: The Nancy Pelosi Story by Elisa Boxer (2022)
• Kwame Nkrumah's Midnight Speech for Independence By Useni Eugene Perkins (2022)
• Ida B. Wells, Voice of Truth by Michelle Duster (2022)
• The Faith of Elijah Cummings: The North Star of Equal Justice by Carole Boston Weatherford (2022)
• Standing on Her Shoulders by Monica Clark-Robinson (2021)
• Stompin' at The Savoy by Moira Rose Donahue (2021)
• The Highest Tribute by Kekla Magoon (2021)
• Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice by Nikki Grimes (2021)
• Follow Chester! A College Football Team Fights Racism and Makes History by Gloria Respress-Churchwell
• Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained The Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito
• Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe by Deborah Blumenthal
• Hidden Figures (by Margot Lee Shetterly, 2017)
• Althea Gibson: The Story of Tennis' Fleet-of-Foot Girl (by Megan Reid, 2020)
• Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon (by Kelly Starling Lyons, 2020)
• A Voice Named Aretha (by Katheryn Russel-Brown, 2020)
• Biddy Mason Speaks Up (by Arisa White and Laura Atkins)
• The Carver Chronicles Series (by Karen English)
  • Dog Days
  • Skateboard Party (2015)
  • Don't Feed the Geckos!
  • Problemas en la Casa de la Lado
  • The New Kid
  • Pizza Party
• Nikki and Deja Series (by Karen English)
  • Nikki and Deja (2007)
  • Birthday Blues (2010)
  • The Newsy News Newsletter (2011)
  • Election Madness (2011)
• Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott (by Dee Romito)
• Friends I Love to Keep (by Wade Hudson)
• Sights I Love to See (by Cheryl Willis Hudson)
• Songs I Love to Sing (by Cheryl Willis Hudson)
• Jazz Baby (by Carole Boston Weatherford)
• L Is for Liberty (by Wendy Cheyette Lewison)

Awards and Recognition

Laura Freeman has received several awards for her amazing work:

• 2019 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for Hidden Figures
• 2019 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Children for Hidden Figures
• 2019 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Pies from Nowhere
• 2018 Selected as a "Children's Book All Young Georgians Should Read" for Hidden Figures
• 2018 American Illustration AI37
• 2017 Communications Arts Illustration Annual
• 6 Junior Library Guild Selections for Nikki & Deja and The Carver Chronicles
• 2009 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book Award Honor for Birthday Blues
• 2004 Seal of Excellence - Creative Child magazine for A Wild Cowboy

Life Today

Laura Freeman currently lives with her family in Atlanta, Georgia.

She encourages anyone who dreams of becoming a writer or illustrator to be persistent. She says that putting in the time and effort is key to making those dreams come true.