Marianna Coppo’s illustrations will delight you to no end. A master of all things cute, she’s the author and illustrator of various children’s books, but you don’t have to actually be a child to enjoy her creations. Inspired by irreverent stories, free camping, mountains, and tenderloin with green pepper, her uplifting spirit and sense of playfulness carries out throughout her work.
In an interview with The Picture Book Review Coppo remarked that she finds the form and structure of picture books extremely stimulating. “I love reading them and the idea to give this form to my stories came quite naturally,” she says.
Having studied illustration at MiMaster in Milan and children’s literature at the Accademia Drosselmeier in Bologna, making picture books (a hybrid between writing and drawing), was a natural progression. Currently based in Rome, Coppo also works as one of the curators of Tentacoli, an independent label that specializes in fanzines and handmade products.
“Creating a book is an incredibly exciting and terribly frustrating experience,” says the Italian author. “Often I fall in love with the idea and lose sight of the bigger picture,” she admits. “In practical terms, it comes down to making compromises.” But at least judging by the finished result, her hard work seems to have paid off. See for yourself.
