Natasha Donovan facts for kids

Natasha Donovan is a talented Canadian artist who creates amazing illustrations for comics and children's books. She is a member of the Métis Nation of British Columbia, which is an Indigenous group in Canada.

About Natasha Donovan

Her Early Life and Learning

Natasha Donovan grew up mostly in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Her Métis family comes from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. She studied Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. Anthropology is the study of human societies and cultures.

Today, Natasha lives in Deming, Washington, with her partner, Sky, and their dog, Luna.

How She Started Her Career

Natasha Donovan taught herself how to draw. Before becoming a full-time illustrator, she worked in universities and for magazines. Her passion for art led her to a career where she could bring stories to life with her drawings.

Books and Awards

Amazing Awards and Honors

Natasha Donovan's illustrations have won many important awards. These awards celebrate her talent and the impact of her work.

• In 2019, her book Surviving the City won the Indigenous Voices Award. This award recognizes great writing and art by Indigenous creators.
• In 2020, The Grizzly Mother received an honor from the American Indian Youth Literature Awards. Surviving the City also got an honor in the Young Adult category.
• In 2022, her book Borders received an honor from the Walter Dean Myers Award. This award celebrates diverse books for young readers. Also in 2022, Classified was honored by the American Indian Youth Literature Awards for Best Picture Book.

Books She Illustrated

Natasha Donovan has illustrated many wonderful books. Here are some of them:

• Surviving the City, written by Tasha Spillett (2019)
• Go Dance!, written by Cinnamon Spear (2020)
• Borders, written by Thomas King (2021)
• Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer, written by Traci Sorell (2021)
• The Global Ocean, written by Rochelle Strauss (2022)
• A River's Gifts: The Mighty Elwha River Reborn by Patricia Newman (2022)

The Mothers of Xsan Series

This series tells stories about different animals and their importance. Natasha illustrated all these books:

• The Sockeye Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) (2018)
• The Grizzly Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) (2019)
• The Eagle Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) (2020)
• The Frog Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) (2021)
• The Raven Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) (2022)

The Surviving the City Series

This series explores important stories for young people:

• Surviving the City, written by Tasha Spillett (2019)
• From the Roots Up, written by Tasha Spillett (2020)

Other Contributions

Natasha has also contributed her art to other collections of stories:

• The Other Side: An Anthology, edited by Melanie Gillman and Kori Michele Handwerker (2016)
• This Place: 150 Years Retold (2019)
• Marvel's Voices: Heritage (2022)