Mike Curato author page

Mike Curato Biography

Mike Curato is a Filipino-American author and illustrator acclaimed for his work in children’s and young adult literature. He is best known for the Little Elliot picture book series and the semi-autobiographical graphic novel Flamer.

Curato was raised in the suburbs of New York City and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University. After college, he worked as a graphic designer before transitioning to children’s publishing. His debut picture book, Little Elliot, Big City (2014), introduced readers to a small, polka-dotted elephant navigating life in a big city. The Little Elliot series expanded to include four additional titles: Little Elliot, Big Family (2015), Little Elliot, Big Fun (2016), Little Elliot, Fall Friends (2017), and Merry Christmas, Little Elliot (2018). These books have been translated into multiple languages and have received various accolades.

In 2020, Curato released Flamer, a young adult graphic novel that draws from his own experiences as a closeted teenager attending a Boy Scouts summer camp. The novel addresses themes of identity, bullying, and self-acceptance. Flamer received the 2021 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Young Adult Literature and the 2021 Massachusetts Book Award for Middle Grade/Young Adult. It has also been recognized by NPR, the New York Public Library, and Kirkus Reviews as one of the best books of the year.

Curato has illustrated several other children’s books, including Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian, All the Way to Havana by Margarita Engle, and What If… by Samantha Berger. His illustrations are noted for their expressive characters and detailed settings.

In addition to his work in children’s literature, Curato’s debut adult graphic novel, Gaysians, is scheduled for release on June 3, 2025.