MINI BIO
Julissa Mora is a Cuban American illustrator and author whose warm, nostalgic storytelling draws on her Miami childhood and her life as a mother. She is the author and illustrator of Baking With Mi Abuelita and My Cousin, the Quinceañera, and her art appears in books and magazines for Scholastic, Highlights, McGraw Hill, and more. She lives in Austin, Texas.
SHORT BIO
Julissa Mora is a Cuban American illustrator and author whose work celebrates family, culture, and the small moments that connect generations. Born and raised in Miami, she was introduced to illustration through her Abuelito, who would draw stories on napkins during Sunday gatherings. Her debut author–illustrated book, Baking With Mi Abuelita, was named one of Bank Street’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, and her follow-up, My Cousin, the Quinceañera, is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
Julissa’s illustrations have appeared in books and magazines for Scholastic, Highlights, McGraw Hill, Penguin Random House, Curriculum Associates, and many others. She earned her degree in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design and is a proud member of the Girllustrators, a collective of women illustrators in Austin. She lives in Austin with her daughter, dog, and husband.
LONG BIO
Julissa Mora is a Cuban American illustrator and author whose work blends heartfelt storytelling with the a soft pastel color pallet, joyful and warm visuals rooted in her Miami upbringing. She grew up surrounded by family, food, and the visual tales told by her Abuelito Virgilio, who would sketch scenes from his childhood on napkins during Sunday gatherings. Those moments sparked her love for drawing and set her on the path to becoming an artist.
After earning her degree in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design, Julissa spent several years in Manhattan and Brooklyn, where she began building her career. Her time in New York, with its mix of cultures, people deepened her desire to create artwork that feels inclusive, warm, and emotionally connective. She has also traveled to Cuba, her mother’s homeland, an experience she hopes to one day bring to the page.
Julissa has illustrated for a wide range of publishers and brands, including Scholastic, Highlights for Children, McGraw Hill, Penguin Random House, Curriculum Associates, Oxford University Press, Target, American Girl, BabyBug and Cricket Magazines, and more. Her author–illustrated debut, Baking With Mi Abuelita, received a starred review from School Library Journal, was named Best Transitional Book, and was selected by Bank Street as one of the Best Children’s Books of the Year. Her second author–illustrated book, My Cousin, the Quinceañera, is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
A member of the Girllustrators, a collective of women illustrators in Austin, Julissa credits the group with encouraging her writing journey and helping her shape the stories she wants to tell. She currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her spirited daughter, sweet dog, and supportive husband, where she continues creating stories inspired by her childhood memories and the new ones she’s building with her family.
