Bring Your Story to Life: Magical Children’s Book Illustrations
Namastey!
Hello! ~ Bonjour! ~ Ni-hao ~ Annyeong! ~ Kon'nichiwa
I’m Laxmi Prasad Wachman, someone who “loves to imagine and believes in magic..”
I love learning new languages (even if my French, German, Mandarin, Korean, and Japanese are all adorably broken), and I’ve always been the kind of person who likes making things with her hands, painting, crafting, drawing, anything that lets my heart play.
I live a small, cozy life filled with simple joys. My husband loves cooking and making cocktails, and we share a love for movies, fantasy, and telling each other silly stories. And of course, there’s Jiji (Named after Gigi from Kiki Delivery Service) our mischievous black cat who runs around the house like a tiny sprinter with too much energy.
I also love my plants.. getting a new plant feels like Christmas to me.. the more plants I bring home, the happier I feel.
I never thought being a children’s book illustrator could be my real job, but somehow, it became my dream come true. Today, I get to draw magical worlds, sweet characters, and colorful feelings. I’m also represented by a wonderful literary agency in the US, which still feels like a small miracle to me.
Illustrating the Magic of Your Story
Writing a story is such a beautiful thing, and illustrations are the magic that help it come alive in the hearts and minds of children. As a children’s book illustrator, I get to take your words and sprinkle them with magic of color, movement, and life, so that every character, every page, every little detail dances off the page.
Some of my favorite journeys have been with stories like Pongal-o-Pongal, a picture book by a writer from the UK. We went from rough sketches to the final artwork together, capturing the joy and warmth of the South Indian harvest festival.
And then there’s Jeeju’s Juttees, a charming story based on the playful juttee-stealing ceremony, where the bride’s little sister hides her jeeju’s shoes to stop him from taking her beloved elder sister away after the wedding. It’s such a tender celebration of that real emotion every younger sibling feels, the mix of love, mischief, and the fear of change something familiar not just in India, but in many parts of the world.
We began with a first concept that the author liked, and then I reimagined it with a dreamy new color palette, playful outfit details, and whimsical little touches that made the scenes feel alive and full of personality.
The transformation brought a soft glow to the story, and the author fell in love with the final artwork and so did I. Currently in works.. (leave your thoughts in the comments if you would love to read this book when it comes out.)
When I work with authors, I love to hear about the heart of your story:
What it’s about, and why you wrote it
The feelings and emotions you want children to experience
How you imagine the world, the characters, and the colors that bring it alive
There’s something so joyful about watching a child hear a story and look up with wide, magical eyes, asking, “What happens next?” That little spark of curiosity is exactly what I hope to capture in every illustration.
As a secret part-time writer and a children’s book illustrator, I dream of creating stories that bring laughter, wonder, and warmth stories where children feel understood and excited to turn the next page.
Illustrating a book is a happy, creative partnership.
Here’s a small glimpse of where I share my art and my journey because trust matters when you choose an illustrator.
Dear Story-writers,
If you’re an author who loves your story and wants someone warm, gentle, and imaginative to bring it to life, I’m right here, ready to pour my magic in your beautifully written manuscript..
📮Write to me: hello.laxmiprasad@gmail.com
or use the ‘Contact Form’
