Three wooden bookshelves filled with colorful books, decorated with potted plants, paper lanterns, and a string of triangular fabric bunting in bright colors.

Welcome to Rachael’s world

A woman with long auburn hair smiling and holding a stack of colorful books in front of a bookshelf filled with various books.

Rachael Dean is a British illustrator based in the North West of the UK, known for bringing stories to life with her vibrant, charming artwork. With over 50 children’s books to her name, she’s had the joy of collaborating with beloved authors and world-renowned publishers. Her work has even earned a shortlist spot for the prestigious Carnegie Medal. A career highlight includes being selected to illustrate
new children’s titles by the legendary Dame Jacqueline Wilson,
which she describes as a childhood dream come true.

FIND OUT MORE
A book cover titled "The Secret Garden Revisited" by Anthea Simmons, featuring colorful illustrations of flowers, birds, butterflies, a hedgehog, and a girl opening a gate surrounded by lush greenery.
Book cover titled 'The Primrose Railway Children' by Jacqueline Wilson with illustrations by Rachel Dean. Features three children outdoors, one sitting on a suitcase, one holding a bird and a fish tank, and another taking a photo. The background shows a blue sky, clouds, and a railway bridge with floral and bird illustrations surrounding the characters.
Book cover titled 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott, part of Oxford Children's Classics series, featuring illustrated portraits of four women, surrounded by floral and leafy patterns.

Children's books

Discover Rachael’s vibrant and captivating book illustrations, and grab the chance to own your own copies.

LET'S EXPLORE
An illustration of a girl with red hair riding a golden dragon through a starry sky with pink clouds.
Children dressed in animal costumes performing on stage with a green curtain decorated with stars and yellow trim, under a starry background.
A drawing of a sleeping mouse with closed eyes, pink nose, and fur, surrounded by colorful flowers, feathers, and purple background.

Illustrations

Explore Rachael’s bold and rich illustrations
that capture the wonder of human nature.

BROWSE GALLERY
An illustrated scene of children playing outdoors featuring a girl with butterfly wings standing on a tree stump, surrounded by grass, mushrooms, a boy with insect wings, a snail, and small insects, with a whimsical and colorful style.
Illustration of two children, a girl with long orange hair and a boy with dark blue hair, holding hands and dancing in a circle.
A colorful illustration featuring a girl riding a golden dragon with purple clouds, stars, and a moon in the background.

Shop

Rachael’s new print collection, Moments of Magic,
is now available to purchase.

SHOP NOW
A row of colorful books on a wooden shelf next to a green leafy plant in a pot.

Book Club

The Middle Grade Grown-Ups is currently taking a break.
If it returns in the future, you’ll hear about it here.

JOIN IN
Hands with red nail polish and rings typing on a white computer keyboard, a color palette and paint tubes on a wooden surface, and paintbrushes lying nearby.

Artist blog

Discover The Art of Being Real on Substack! Rachael writes about honest reflections, creative inspiration, and the highs and lows of her artistic journey.

A woman with long, wavy blonde hair reading a colorful book in a cozy library or bookstore, surrounded by shelves of books and some green plants.

Newsletter

Sign up for Rachael’s monthly newsletter, Rachael’s Corner! Get the latest on her creative adventures, work-in-progress projects, new art, book recommendations,
and more.

Client Testimonials

Designer at Penguin Random House UK

Simplified black and white illustration of a penguin inside an oval outline.

Emily Smyth

“Every project with Rachael is an absolute dream! She’s fantastically creative, always punctual and an expert at bringing stories to life. Truly a joy to collaborate with!”

Danielle Ravenport

Close-up of a conveyor belt with shiny metallic objects, likely metal rings, against a blurred background.

Designer at Bloomsbury

“Rachael is an absolute dream to work with, she is full of creativity, has really fun ideas and illustrates characters and animals with so much humour and individuality that brings all the scenes to life throughout her books. It’s always a pleasure to work with her and I thoroughly enjoyed working on The Thames and Tide Club series together.”

Children’s Fiction art director, Simon & Schuster UK

Silhouette of a person in a hat walking with a cane.

Jesse Green

“Working with Rachael on Nicola Baker’s Whistledown Farm Adventures series has been a real delight. On top of being extremely talented and illustrating the cutest farm animals I’ve ever seen, she’s also a pleasure to work with and is always receptive to feedback. I’m looking forward to working with Rachael again.”