Featured by Painter
Painter’s artist interview covers Toby’s book-illustration practice, creative process, and work with self-publishing authors.
Read the Painter interview →
Children’s book illustration for self-publishing authors
Your story, illustrated and finished. $200 total, including revisions.
Bring final, proofread text. Work directly with illustrator Toby Mikle from custom cover and coordinated interior through approved revisions, publish-ready files, and practical Amazon KDP support. You do not need to know trim sizes, file formats, or KDP setup before you begin.
Complete standard package: a manuscript-fit page plan—32 pages is a common planning point, not a fixed limit—plus one trim size, one paperback edition, and one approved visual direction. Visuals may be AI-generated under KDP’s definition; the workflow is human-directed and disclosed accurately.
20+years in illustration and book production
$200complete book package, revisions included
1experienced person from manuscript to files
External credits
Experience you can verify beyond this website.
Independent interviews, publisher pages, and bookseller listings provide a public record of Toby’s long-running children’s-book work.
Oscar’s Renegades
Archway Publishing’s book page names Toby Mikle as the illustrator of this published children’s adventure.
View the publisher credit →The Incredible Little Happy
Barnes & Noble lists Toby on this published children’s title, one of the book credits readers can verify online.
View the bookseller listing →See a complete book
Make a book that flows consistently from cover to cover.
Ducky and the Thumb turns one warm manuscript into a coordinated square picture book: recurring characters, page rhythm, custom typography, a revised cover, and a consistent interior.
Explore the complete case study →
26 designed pages
1 coordinated visual direction
3 controlled cover stages
1 finished shareable book
Smooth, consistent revisions
Focused changes preserve the approved direction.
The cover direction stayed recognizable while the wardrobe, shoes, color, and finishing details moved toward the approved version.
- 01Establish the coverComposition, character, Ducky, title, and setting.
- 02Revise the wardrobePink dress, teal trim, and Crocs while preserving the design.
- 03Approve the finishTie straps, final character treatment, and production polish.
Three original book directions
A story can be gentle, hilarious, or mysterious.
These fictional studio demonstrations show how a distinct reader age, page plan, story promise, and illustration language can work together as one book.
Fictional concept
Nori and the Borrowed Moon
A small mouse must return the moon’s glow to the whole meadow.
See Nori’s direction →
Fictional concept
Zadie Sparks and the Very Loud Cloud
A young inventor’s tiny rain cloud develops a very big voice.
See Zadie’s direction →
Fictional concept
The Library Beneath the Tides
Sora discovers an underwater library and an ending too perfect to keep.
See the Library’s direction →Clear portfolio disclosure: These are original fictional studio demonstrations—not client books or published titles. The stories and author names were created for these examples.
The complete standard package
A real person finishes the book with you.
Toby personally directs the visual system, page pacing, revisions, cover, interior, final files, and correctable KDP production issues from start to finish.
Included in the standard package
- Custom front cover and final paperback cover file
- Complete interior layout
- Artist-directed AI visuals
- Manuscript-fit interior page plan
- Revisions through final approval*
- Print-ready paperback files
- Ebook file when appropriate
- KDP listing and correction support*
*Within the approved concept and agreed scope. Amazon controls content, metadata, rights, accounts, policy decisions, distribution, and continued availability.
Read the complete scope and guarantee →Making a keepsake for your children or grandchildren? Turn a family story into a children’s book →
Already have illustrations, a PDF, or a KDP production notice? Get focused layout and production-file help →
Your photos can become the story
People, pets, places, and keepsakes—reimagined.
Use author-supplied photos to guide a recognizable child, beloved pet, real home, favorite place, toy, or family treasure through a completely new storybook world.
A child becomes the explorer.
Carry the face, hair, clothing, and meaningful details into a new adventure.
A pet becomes the hero.
Preserve the markings, collar, ears, expression, and unmistakable personality.
A real place holds the magic.
Keep the porch, roofline, windows, garden, room, or landmark readers know.
These are privacy-safe fictional demonstrations, not client work: the source child, dog, and house are AI-generated examples created specifically to show the transformation process.
Explore illustration styles
Meet Pip in four different looks.
Pip demonstrates how a recognizable character can move through several illustration treatments. Each book chooses one approved direction and carries it consistently.
Cut paper + gouache
Tactile storybook adventure.
Watercolor + pencil
Soft, lyrical garden detail.
Screen print + gouache
Graphic, bold, and kinetic.
Felt + miniature set
Warm, dimensional, and immersive.
Pip and these scenes are fictional, artist-directed AI concept studies created to demonstrate range and character continuity; they are not presented as client books.
A practical four-step process
Clear decisions guide smooth production.
- 01
Request a sample
Share your idea, audience, and visual references. I reply with a sample direction.
- 02
Approve direction
You approve the character and visual rules before the complete book is built.
- 03
Review the book
You receive the complete project and request changes inside the agreed concept and scope.
- 04
Finish and list
I deliver the publishing files and help correct production-file issues through listing.
Client experience
Support matters.
“He listened, understood my needs, and delivered beautiful results within my budget.”
— Catherine Williams, Author
“He stood behind his work even after the sale. We’re already on our second book together.”
— Timothy Carter, Author
“Fast, fair, and unique. After 30 years of searching, I finally found the right illustrator.”
— Ed Franklin, Education Professional
Latest author help
New and updated from the studio.
Practical resources are added or meaningfully revised when there is a clearer way to help an author plan, illustrate, or publish a children’s book.
Picture-book manuscript format + example
See how to separate read-aloud text from useful art notes, follow an original spread-by-spread example, and run the ready-to-illustrate checklist.
Use the manuscript guide →Choose picture-book dimensions
Compare square, portrait, and landscape trim sizes, then see how bleed, safe areas, spreads, and spot illustrations affect the page.
Explore book dimensions →Keep a character consistent
Build a repeatable character system, test difficult scenes, control revisions, and check the cover and interior as one visual sequence.
Use the continuity guide →Free independent-author directory
Meet independent authors. Add your book.
Discover author-submitted children’s books or add any published or in-progress book you authored—it does not have to be illustrated or produced by MyBookIllustrator.
Free Samples
See one exploratory direction before deciding.
The sample can show a possible mood, character treatment, or page approach. It is a fit-check—not finished or publication-ready artwork.