A visit to the workshop
The workshop
The drawing
Biography
Marisol Sarrazin grew up in Quebec in the heart of the Laurentians, a vast region of lakes and mountains. She spent her early childhood between a father and a mother who wrote and drew.
After studying art, communications and cinema in Montreal at Brébeuf College and at the University of Montreal, Marisol registered for a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design at the University of Quebec in Montreal.
Today Marisol is a recognized illustrator and author of children’s books. She lives by a lake in an enchanted forest that inspires her. From morning to night she paints, writes and draws for little ones and grown-ups, as well as for authors who do not have colored pencils. Her son Olivier, when he is not on an ice rink or chasing a ball, sometimes gives her advice.
Marisol has illustrated over a hundred books translated into a dozen languages. Her work has earned her several awards and nominations. Winner of the “Mr. Christie’s Book Prize”, finalist for the “Amélia Frances Howard-Gibbon”, two of her works were selected by “IBBY Canada” in the “Outstanding Canadian Picture Books” category and by the “Society of Illustrators of New York”. Her book Pas de taches pour une girafe was selected amongst the 100 most outstanding books in French-speaking Canada.
Several weeks a year, Marisol is invited to authors meetings at fairs, schools and libraries all over America and Europe. She loves meeting people and sharing her passion.
Some of the editors she worked for are: La Courte Échelle, Scholastic, Dominique et compagnie, Simon and Schuster, Harper Collins, Children Television Workshop, Kids Can Press, McGraw-Hill, Harcourt, Bayard Press, Prentice Hall Ginn, Amanda Blu, Antioch.
Awards and mentions
No Spots for Gilda the Giraffe.
Communication Jeunesse asks a jury of specialists to draw up a list of the 100 essential Canadian children’s books and “No spots for a giraffe” appears to be there. 2016
Sweetest of All
Selection – First & Best 2008: the ten best Canadian books (Toronto Public Library)
CCBC Best Books for Kids. 2014
Une Musique pour Charlotte
Finaliste , meilleur album jeunesse, Choix des bibliothécaires et du public. 2011
Sami s’est perdue
Nomination – The Sixth Annual SMART Book Award (Oregon, USA)
Pépin le pingouin
Winner – Communication and Society Prize, Canada. 2005
No Spots for Gilda the Giraffe.
First choice of a survey of booksellers carried out by the show M’as-tu lu? , Télé-Québec. 2005
Parrots Don’t Make House Call
Nomination – The Shining Willow Award. 2004
Pas de taches pour une girafe (livre et CD)
IBBY (Canada) : Outstanding Canadian Picture Books for Young People with Disabilities. 2004
Polo et le Roulouboulou
Sceau d’argent, Prix du livre M. Christie. 2003
Sélection – IBBY (Canada) : Livres d’images canadiens remarquables, 2000 – 2003.
Exposition internationale
Léonardo le lionceau
« Choix des enfants » – Palmarès de Communication Jeunesse du Québec. 2003
Oscar le drôle de ouistiti
Sélection – 45e exposition annuelle de The Society of Illustrators, É.-U. 2002
Nose to Toes
Nomination – Prix du livre M. Christie, section anglaise. 2001
Nomination -Prix des bibliothécaires du Canada (CLA). 2001
Finaliste – Amélia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award. 2001
No Spots for Gilda the Giraffe.
« Choix des enfants » – Palmarès de Communication Jeunesse, Québec. 1999
No Spots for Gilda the Giraffe.
Lauréat du livre M. Christie – Meilleur album français publié au Canada. 1999
Nomination – Salon du livre de Trois-Rivières. 1999
La petite fille qui détestait l’heure du dodo
Finaliste – Prix Totem (France). 1996
Les catastrophes de Rosalie
Sélection – La Bibliothèque du parfait petit montréalais. 1992
Les vacances de Rosalie et Le héros de Rosalie
Prix d’excellence – Association des consommateurs du Québec. 1991
Les catastrophes de Rosalie
Prix d’excellence – Association des consommateurs du Québec. 1986
Bourses
Marisol is also the recipient of several grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Quebec Ministry of Culture.
Bibliography
Series « The Adventures of Gilda the Giraffe and Friends », Lucie Papineau, Éd. Dominique et compagnie
12 books: Zéphyr le zèbre, Une Famille pour Mimosa, Les nouveaux amis de Gilda la girafe, Les amis de Gilda la girafe, Mimosa la mouffette, Lucky the Leopard, Pepin the Penguin Marvin the Marmoset, Leonardo the Lion Cub, Papaya the Panda, No Bananas for this Giraffe- A Giraffe in the Moon, No Spots for Gilda the Giraffe.
“Polo”, series, Ginette Anfousse,, La courte échelle edition
10 books : Polo et le Roulouboulou, Polo et le garde-manger, Polo au zoo, Polo et la fête de la citrouille, Polo et le bonhomme de neige, Polo et la musique, Polo et la ferme, Polo et l’écureuil volant, Polo et le panier de fruits, Polo et l’anniversaire, Polo fête l’Halloween, Polo et le garde-manger, La nouvelle maison de Polo – Cahier d’activités.
“ Peppy and Phlox “ series, Marisol Sarrazin (ill. And texts) , Ed. Dominique et compagnie
3 books:Peppy, Phlox and the Bath, Peppy, Phlox and the Postman, Peppy, Phlox and the Socks..
« Rosalie »,series Ginette Anfousse, Édition La courte échelle
9 books : Réédition de la série complète (3 volumes) Le grand mystère de Rosalie, La grande frousse de Rosalie, Le grand amour de Rosalie, Rosalie à la belle étoile, Le grand rêve de Rosalie, Les vacances de Rosalie,Rosalie s’en va-t-en guerre, Le héros de Rosalie, Les catastrophes de Rosalie.
« Sam », series, Mary Labbat, Éd.Scholastic (Québec), Scholastic ( É.-U.), Kids Can Press (CA)
10 books : Sam at the Beach, Sam Wants to Play, Sam’s Snowy Day, A Parade for Sam, Sam Gets Lost, Sam Goes to School, Pizza for Sam, Sam finds a Monster, A Friend for Sam, Sam’s First Halloween.
Publications – Miscellaneous
Katie’s fire fly chase, É.-U.,to be published.
Hansel and Gretel , animated book, Tombooks app, Switzerland. Forthcoming
Une musique pour Charlotte, Musical tale by Ginette Anfousse / Music by Pentaèdre /, Éditions Imagine.
The Sweetest One of All – Mon petit trésor, Jean Little, Éditions Scholastic.
Sortez vos armures, Dorothée Roy, Pearson / Erpi.
Starlight Lullaby, Maribeth Boelts, Simon & Schuster (É.-U.).
La cuisine comme je l’aime, Diane Séguin, Michel-Pierre Sarrazin, Éditions Point de Fuite.
Promotion of reading, poster, Youth Communication, 2003
Géant, tu ne me fais pas peur!, Dominique Demers, , Pearson / Erpi.
Nose to Toes, Marilyn Baillie, Oxford / Owl Book (Toronto), Boyds Mills Press (É.-U.), Éditions Scholastic (France).
The big snow / Mystery of fairy field / The pet show / Wrong way robot, MC Press for Simon & Schuster.
Five Little Monkeys, Liz Stenson, Prentice Hall Ginn.
La petite fille qui détestait l’heure du dodo, Marie-France Hébert, Groupe d’édition la courte échelle.
Chaminet Chaminouille, Lucie Papineau, Les éditions Boréal.
En tête, books A and B (exercise book and school manual), Denise Gaouette, Pearson / Erpi.
Note : Some titles of the series Rosalie, Polo, Gilda the giraffe and Peppy and Phlox have been translated into English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Greek, Italian, German, Indonesian and Persian.