Kate Leiper author page

Kate Leiper biography

Kate Leiper is an artist and book illustrator whose work for children and teens draws on folklore, myth, animals, and nature. Working chiefly in pastels, she is known for detailed compositions, rich atmosphere, and character-led storytelling.

Leiper studied printmaking at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, where she began exploring how narrative, character, and emotion can be conveyed visually. Her portfolio spans picture books, gift anthologies, gallery pieces, and illustration workshops for schools and festivals.

Her books include three anthologies with Theresa Breslin for Floris Books: An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales (2012), An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Mythical Creatures (2015), and An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Castle Legends (2019). She illustrated James Robertson’s The Book of the Howlat for Birlinn, published in English and Scots editions, and collaborated with Karine Polwart on A Wee Bird Was Watching (2018) and The Queen of the Birds (2021), both from Birlinn/BC Books.

Leiper’s illustration has received industry recognition. She was longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2013 for An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales and nominated in 2020 for An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Castle Legends. Her work on The Queen of the Birds was shortlisted for the V&A Illustration Award (2022). Additional honors include 3×3 International Illustration Show Gold (Children’s Illustration), an ADC Bronze Cube (Book Illustration), and selection as a finalist for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition (2025).

Alongside commissioned titles, Leiper exhibits nationally and internationally, and leads talks and workshops on illustration process, character creation, and visual storytelling for a wide range of age groups.