Illustration | Stella Maris Mongodi

Finn the bear, from "The Easter Bear" is painting the walls and ceiling of his room

Hello and welcome!

My name's Stella and I'm a children's books illustrator/designer and (sometimes) author based in Edinburgh.

illustration with animals, animals dancing

work with me

Hire me as an Illustrator

Want illustrations that pop off the page and make your story shine? Let’s bring your wildest ideas to life together! Check out the details and snag my guide on working with me. Are we a good match to make something amazing?

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Join the program to
self-illustrate your book

If you’re an author looking to self-illustrate your book, I have an exciting year-long program designed just for you! Throughout this journey, we’ll focus on enhancing your book skills, such as visual story development, layout, and integrating illustrations with text. You'll need some basic art skills, though! With ongoing support and feedback, you’ll gain the confidence to bring your unique vision to life.

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Book a single consultation

Got questions about illustration or book design? Book a 1:1 consultation for 30 minutes or a full hour, and ask me anything you want! Whether it’s brainstorming ideas or getting advice on design, I will help you bring your vision to life.

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editorial reviews & awards

Readers' Favorite *****

There's an N on your Nose

"Each page has so many fun things to see. [...] Even though they are animals, diversity is included, so look carefully at the giraffe's legs. "

Kirkus review

The Easter Bear

"Maris’ color illustrations are adorable—the characters are wonderfully expressive throughout the book, and she’s taken special care with Finn’s eyes, which are humorously framed by his glasses."

Kirkus starred review

Dance Stance

The character’s adorable, tutu-wearing feline companion, Kittina, is a furry attention-grabber, performing ballet antics on nearly every page. The balanced use of illustrations and text keeps the content from ever feeling intimidating [...]

A strong instructional guide for young dancers.

Kirkus starred review

There's an N on your Nose

Canfield’s silly poem scans well, and the simple vocabulary and short phrases, paired with the emphasis on letters, make this a perfect choice for newly independent readers growing their skills. Maris’ painterly illustrations feature realistic looking animals [...] The appealing characters are well textured, with fur that looks soft to the touch.

2022 Purple Dragonfly

Dance Stance

2022 Feathered Quill Book Awards

The Green Woolen Fedora

2020 Kids Shelf Books Cover Design Award

The Green Woolen Fedora

Kids Book Review

Where do Butterflies go...

The cover image for this beautiful book suggests something quite special – perhaps a meditation or a mysterious, moonlit journey.

[...]

The artworks depicting night-time have a particularly luminous quality to them.

A child watches the butterflies at play through the day as they sip nectar and dance on the wind, and wonders where they sleep at night.

Readers' favorite *****

The Green Woolen Fedora

Deborah Stevenson’s picture book story, The Green Woolen Fedora, will bring tears to your eyes as you follow the children trying to reclaim Nora’s special hat. [...] The illustrations are cleverly and colorfully presented and help move the adventure along as the children chase after the hat.

A beautiful, compassionate, tender look at cherished mementos and the memories they hold for us.