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Lesley Breen

@lesleybreenillustration

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author/illustrator, surface designer specializing in artwork for children, animal drawings, and nature-based art.
Rep’d Christy Ewers @the_cat_agency

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🦋🌻🌿 Have you heard the wonderful news? 🌿🌻🦋 I am so thrilled to announce my DEBUT author-illustrated picture book, WHAT RACHEL HEARD! It's a dream come true, and I absolutely can’t wait for it to put roots on bookshelves everywhere.

This picture book is about marine biologist, conservationist, and author Rachel Carson. It centers around a young Rachel’s love of nature as she listens to its sounds, observes its beauty, and takes action to protect it.

This book is set for winter 2027, in time for Carson’s 120th birthday and the 65th anniversary of the publication of SILENT SPRING, from @nortonyoungreaders! ☀️💐🍃

@the_cat_agency
#kidlit #picturebooks #picturebook #picturebookillustration #artist #picturebookart #picturebooksartist #author #illustrator #illustration #picturebookauthor by @lesleybreenillustration

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2 years ago

✨⚙️ Cover Reveal! ⚙️✨ This is your sign to pull the lever and preorder a copy of this amazing picture book, beautifully illustrated by our very own Lesley Breen (@lesleybreenillustration), written by Christine Van Zandt (@christinevanzandt9). MIGHTY MODELS: THE LEGENDARY LIFE STORY OF THE LEVER is the perfect choice for your future engineer!

Discover the importance of the lever and its crucial role in history from ancient civilizations to the modern day; perfect for fans of The Highlights Book of How and The New Way Things Work, by David Macaulay.

Think a lever is just a plank of wood? Think again! Levers have been used to hunt mammoths, raise the Great Wall, and even defend the Crown Jewels. 

This Mighty Models title highlights ten important key moments in which the lever leveled up in history—from being a spear-thrower to a robotic arm. Plus, readers build their own working catapult using the included build-it-yourself model to see the power of the lever in action!

Christine Van Zandt’s nonfiction STEM book, ideal for readers 5 to 8 and up, captures the marvels of early machinery in an engaging, interactive, and innovative format for budding engineers, historians, and scientists.

MIGHTY MODELS: THE LEGENDARY STORY OF THE LEVER will be coming to bookshelves December 9th from @unionsqandco 🎉 by @lesleybreenillustration

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a year ago

Our @the_cat_agency prompt for February was ‘pet’. I initially sketched out several other ideas but was so fascinated and saddened by the story of Flaco, the Eurasian-Eagle Owl that escaped from the Central Park Zoo and lived for a year in NYC outside of captivity, before dying by a building strike a couple of weeks ago, that I new I needed to make my art about him. Flaco was born in captivity and was not expected to survive for long on his own. During his year of freedom he captured many New Yorker’s hearts, much like a beloved pet, greeting them from window ledges and hooting from water towers, high above. Every sighting of him gave people hope. He brought so much joy and wonder as he flew free and made the City his own. I do not live in NYC but I visited there while Flaco was flying free and I only wish I had the opportunity to have seen him. To me, Flaco’s story is very American. It’s about an underdog. It’s about resilience and freedom. Flaco did what he needed to do to survive and thrive. And much like Frank Sinatra’s theme song ‘New York, New York’ says, ‘If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere’. Flaco was making it! Although I was sad to hear of Flaco’s passing, I am happy to see how his life has brought so many people together. He became a symbol of hope as well as a beloved ‘pet’ to many. Fly Free Flaco! 🦉

#flaco #art #illustrator #kidlit #kidlitart #kidlitartist #picturebookart #picturebookillustration #womenwhocreate #childrensbooks #owl #owlart #illustration #artwork #picturebooks #kidsbooks #illustragram #illustrationart #illustrationartists #illustrationartistsofinstagram #childrensbookartist #childrensbookart #pets #nyc #nycowl #centralparkzoo by @lesleybreenillustration

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3 years ago

Back-to-back bookish kind of day. Storytime…then off to celebrate a VERY special book launch!

What a treat to celebrate OWL CAPONE with @christyewers_author! My agent, my dear friend, my sister. You’ve been in my corner stepping up to bat for me for soooooo many years, so getting to cheer YOU on alongside some of the CAT fam feels extra special.

One of my most favorite nuances of this agency is we LOVE showing up for each other.

So proud of you @christyewers_cat_agency and @robsayart for creating the cutest story and bringing this little owl into the world.

Cheers to OWL CAPONE! May he commit many tiny crimes like stealing many hearts!

Special thanks to my fam for driving to three states with me today 😅 troopers!! ❤️❤️

@the_cat_agency #kidlitartist #kidlitillustrator #kidlitlife by @lesleybreenillustration

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12 days ago

Remembering Jane Yolen at @carlemuseum yesterday. She was such an inspiring and extraordinary person, and I feel so lucky to have known her. It meant so much to gather with her family and the kidlit community to celebrate her life and the incredible legacy she leaves behind.

It was also wonderful to spend time exploring the museum. Our last visit was when my daughter was little, so it was especially meaningful to return. We loved seeing the Jerry Pinkney and Ferdinand exhibit, as well as the Eric Carle gallery. Such a beautiful place to celebrate the power of children’s books and the people who create it.

@jyolen
@electricblue_scoobydoo

#kidlit #kidlitillustration #childrensbook #childrensillustration #picturebook taken in The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art by @lesleybreenillustration

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2 months ago

I love drawing bugs, animals, and nature, and there’s nothing better than watching these little pollinators hard at work. Nature is always the best inspiration! I’m grateful for every chance to slow down and pay attention.

#ChildrensBookIllustration #kidlit #Illustrator #BumbleBee #Pollinators
@nortonyoungreaders @the_cat_agency by @lesleybreenillustration

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3 months ago

Playing on typewriters. New respect for novelists who couldn’t cut and paste, and all the magic we can do with a click. Fun day with my family at the awesome hidden gem, the @printmuseum, celebrating #nationaltypewriterday at their QWERTY Festival. Geeked out about the Gutenberg Press which is featured in my LEVER book by @unionsqandco, @hachettechildrens, illustrated by @lesleybreenillustration #gutenberg #printingpress #typewriter #inventions by @lesleybreenillustration

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4 months ago

Bellisimo! I’m excited to reveal the beautiful cover of the upcoming Italian-language version of LEVER, out in October 2026 by @escienza, via @unionsqandco @hachettechildrens @magiccatpublishing. Illustrated by @lesleybreenillustration. As they say, it takes a village! #italianbooks #italiankids #mightymodels #stemforkids #newbook by @lesleybreenillustration

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5 months ago

A small, quiet life just doing its thing. So much is happening in nature that we can easily miss if we’re not paying attention.

Let this little bird be a reminder to slow down and really look. To notice what’s already here.

Because when we notice, we start to care. And when we care, we want to protect.

for Earth Day 💚

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” — Rachel Carson

#EarthDay #picturebook #nature
Norton Young Readers earth day art rachel carson bird nature protect nature small quit life by @lesleybreenillustration

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6 months ago

I’m thrilled to share that my nonfiction picture book, PEW! The Stinky and Legen-Dairy Gift from Colonel Thomas S. Meacham, has been selected for the 2026–2027 Orange Blossom List by the Florida Association for Media in Education!

Alongside fourteen other wonderful titles, my book will be featured in schools across Florida for grades K–5. Students will explore the list and cast their votes for their favorite in March 2027 for the Orange Blossom Award.

Grateful, excited, and a little bit “stinky” in the best possible way!

Huge thanks to Cathy Stefanec Ogren for writing this fabulous book! Yay!

@sleepingbearpress @the_cat_agency
@cathyo.likes
@stormliteraryagency
@vickiselvaggio kid lit picture book childrens book illustrator author orange blossom non fiction elementary list 2026-2027 FAME florida association for media in Education lesley breen Cathy Stefanec Ogren sleeping bear press by @lesleybreenillustration

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6 months ago

Valentine’s Day may have just passed… but I’m still feeling the love 💘

Swipe to see the journey from ideas → final art 💕

Over the years, I’ve illustrated thousands of greeting cards (yes, thousands 😅). I also spent time in-house helping plan full card lines, collaborating closely with incredibly talented designers and freelance artists, guiding concepts and creative direction along the way.

Thought it would be fun to share a little peek behind the curtain 👀

From messy brainstorm sheets…
To tiny thumbnail sketches…
To final printed art 💌✨

So much thinking (and re-thinking!), sketching, refining, and heart goes into that one little card you pick up off the rack.

Swipe to see the journey from ideas → final art 💕

#illustration #card #illustrationprocess #artist #valentinesdayart by @lesleybreenillustration

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8 months ago

Happy President’s Day! Did you know the White House once got a HUGE wheel of cheese as a gift? Everyone loved it… until it started to stink! 😬

History + cheese + chaos = story time gold! 🧀

Sharing some of my illustrations from PEW! by @cathyo.likes and published by @sleepingbearpress

@cathyo.likes
@sleepingbearpress
@the_cat_agency
#childrensbook #presidentsday #kidlit #kidlitartist #picturebook by @lesleybreenillustration

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8 months ago