About Me    Yeeeeehawwww!

I'm Layne Johnson and I've always loved adventure! And that's exactly what each new book is. A native Texan, I've drawn and painted just about everything! Being a children's book illustrator is also an adventure. I often ask kids if they know what an illustrator does. A kindergartener might say, "You write the pictures in books!" A third grader might say, "You draw the pictures in books!" But I say, "I bring books to life!" I don't draw or paint just what the words say. I draw what comes before the words, what's between the words, what comes after the words. It's my job to make the world of a book larger. I want the reader to "be there" in the book. And when they've taken the journey with me, to say, "Let's read it again!"

Why do I do what I do? Because it's FUN! I'm still a kid at heart, so illustrating books for kids is my passion. And empowering children to draw and write is something I cherish — what could be better?!

I earned my BFA from the University of Houston and have been a freelance illustrator for more than 20 years.

To contact me, just email me at layne@laynejohnson.com  
I look forward to hearing from you!