Illustoria in East Bay Express

We are so honored to be reviewed in East Bay Express! Read the full review here or in the image below. Thanks, Oakland, Berkeley, and East Bay for all your support of our indie publication. Without the support of our local community--from librarians and parents to booksellers and shop owners--we couldn't do what we do.

This indie mag is rooted in the diverse community here in the Bay Area, and we thrive on working with local artists, writers, and makers. Local contributors include chef Rayneil DeGuzman of Ramen Shop; sculptor Ruth Kneass; issue 4 cover artist Lindsay Stripling; celebrated kid-lit author Lemony Snicket; writer, artist, and teacher Lisa Brown; writer Kate Schatz and artist Mariam Klein Stahl (Rad American Women A-Z); Matt Dick of Small Trade Co; pastry chef Kiri Mah of Pizzaiolo; Alexis Joseph of Case for Making; illustrators Mike Dutton, Rachel Garrison, Micah Player, Willie Real, and so so so many more.

Thanks again to everyone who have supported Illustoria through our first year, and to all those of you who are just discovering us: please support us with a subscription or by picking up a copy at your local library, bookstore, or shop!

Review by Ruth Gebreyesus for East Bay Express, who notes that "As a grown up, I particularly enjoyed the magazine's book recommendations section, which featured a diversity of children's books from Rita Williams-Garcia's Oakland Black Panther tale One Crazy Summer to Yuko Higuchi's fantastical Magical Coloring Museum."

Oakland Book Festival 2017

Don't miss the Oakland Book Festival this Sunday, May 21st, 2017, from 11am–6pm! ILLUSTORIA will be there with plenty of magazines--including the just-out issue 4: The Grow Issue -- and lotsa swag including temp tattoos, stickers, coloring pages, and pins. We'll be at booth 22 in the kids' activity area, where you and your creative little ones can color, craft, make zines and create your own custom bookmarks with us. Meet Joanne and Mark, the publisher and co-founders of Illustoria and craft and chat kids' lit with our team. We would love to meet you!

Check out the impressive list of authors at this not-to-be-missed annual event for literary lovers in the heart of downtown Oakland:

There are events and talks galore so check out all the happenings here. 

What: Oakland Book Festival

When: Sunday, May 21st, 2017

Time: 11am–6pm

Where: Oakland City Hall, Downtown Oakland

See you there!  

Join us at Children's Fairyland: Turn the Page! Festival

Come join us at our absolute fave storybook theme park for Children's Fairyland's Turn the Page! festival on Saturday, May 6th. Meet over 25 local authors and illustrators and come say hello to Illustoria's publisher Joanne Chan from 12:20–1:30 pm as she shares a behind-the-scenes look at the making of an arts & literary magazine for kids.

WHAT: Turn the Page! Children's Book Festival

WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 2017
             10am–4pm / ILLUSTORIA meet-and-greet @ 12:20–1:30pm

WHERE: Children's Fairyland
               699 Bellevue Avenue
               Oakland, CA 94610

Here's the full list of Turn the Page! authors and artists:

Who doesn't love a trip down nostalgia lane with their kiddos? Magic Keys, Happy Dragon, Willie the Whale, Alice in Wonderland, The Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe, Anansi rides, puppet shows, plays, farm animals, and more...all in lovely downtown Oakland by the lake.

Photos: Fairyland & the Fairyland Archives 

Children's Fairyland is among the top Oakland spots for families with kids--right alongside the Oakland Museum, the Oakland Public Library, the Oakland Zoo, and Lake Merritt. So come by with your creative kids and join us for a lovely Saturday on May 6th. Hope to see you and your family there! 

Indie Bookstore Day w/ ILLUSTORIA + DIESEL Oakland

Mark your calendars! April 29th is Independent Bookstore Day (2017) and you'll find Illustoria at one of our absolute fave local bookshops, Diesel in Oakland! The day will be full of events and activities catered to your literary (and little one's) heart's delight. Grownups with creative kids, come drop in from 1-2 pm for a craft session with Illustoria. We'll make easy-peasy and totally original bound books and zines with kids, and there will be stamps and coloring for all. Take home bookmarks, pins, and other cool swag. We'll even have a temp tattoo station!

WHEN:   Saturday, April 29th, 2017 / 1-2pm

WHAT:    Indie Bookstores Day
                Kids' Craft Time w/ ILLUSTORIA

WHERE:  Diesel, A Bookstore
                5433 College Ave
                Oakland, CA 94618

Also check out these happenings at Diesel Oakland throughout the day:

10am - noon: Big Kid / Little Kid Juice Stand. Mimosas for the adults, and OJ for the kiddies. Books for everybody.

1-2pm: Kids' Craft Time with Illustoria. 

4-5pm: Literary Happy Hour. Our featured item this year is the IBD limited-edition, A Literary Cocktail Party. Pouring their signature cocktails from the book will be, Edan Lepucki -- Tequila Negroni; Novella Carpenter -- Beet Kvass Shots; and Jacqueline Luckett -- Dirty Martini. Cheers!

We couldn't agree more with this testimony to the relevance of indie bookstores today, from the staff at Diesel:

"Bookstores are unique places in the chaos and hubbub of our modern times. They are places where you can come to disconnect, relax, and enjoy a moment of silence, yet simultaneously they are also places where you can feel more engaged with and informed about the world around you. Bookstores embody dichotomy: antiquated yet ever-more-relevant, sanctuaries of knowledge but purveyors of distraction, nerdy yet sophisticated, esoteric and yet always welcoming. Cities across the nation have seen the resurgence of these oh-so-vital centers of conscience and community, and we want to celebrate with you! So come out and enjoy a day of browsing, reading, and reveling in all things book-related."

Come surround yourself with great books and let's celebrate ideas, crafts, and curiosity together. Here's to our thriving literary community. Yay, Oakland! Yay, Indie Bookstores Day!