Photo by Katya Royz
Maya Shleifer is a multidisciplinary illustrator and designer, drawn most to visual storytelling through children's books. Born in the former USSR, she immigrated to Israel at the age of 16, spending her first three years in the Negev desert. After completing her studies at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, she worked as a designer and art director for various publications, before finding her way to the work closest to her heart — children's books.
Her work has been recognized with prestigious international awards, including Bologna, Biennial of Illustration Bratislava, and SOI (Society of illustrators) . Today Maya lives in Berlin.
Selected Clients
Little Brown and Company, Astra Publishing House, Chronicle Books, Walker Books, PJ Library, Editorial Kokinos, Les Editions des Elephants, Green Bean Books, Kinneret Zmora Publishing House
Prizes & Honorable Mentions
Winner of Bologna Children's Book Fair 2025
The Original Art selection, Society of American Illustrators 2024
Israel Museum Ben-Yitzhak Award for the Children's Book Illustration 2024
Portfolio Showcase Golden Award SCBWI 2024
Golden Apple Award, The 29th Biennale of Illustrations Bratislava, 2023
GIANT HOME shortlisted among the nominees for the Best Books for Kids and Teens Award, Spain, 2023
Society of American Illustrators 65 Selection, USA 2023
Bologna Children's Book Fair Selection, Italy 2023
Nami Concours Selection, Korea 2023
Society of American Illustrators 62 Selection, USA 2020
Ramat Gan Prize for Best Picture Book of the Year, Israel 2017
3*3 Illustration Magazine Honorable Mention, USA 2016
Hapinkas illustration merit, Israel 2013
Hapinkas illustration merit, Israel 2013
Children's Books
The Best Gift Ever | Little Brown for Young Readers 2027
The Very Unusual Pumpkin | Hippo Park 2026
Smile | Little Brown for Young Readers 2026
Becoming Francis Frog | Kinneret Publishing House 2026
The Hen and the Egg | Kinneret Publishing House 2026
Rainbow Breath | Walker Books 2025
Too Many Golems | Chronicle Books 2024
A Lion Named Anna | Kinneret Publishing House 2023
Giant Home | Kinneret Publishing House 2022
Every Wrinkle Has a Story | Am Oved 2022
Lights in the Night | Green Bean Books 2021
Hanukkah with Friends | PJ Library 2020
The Golden Thread | Dvir Publishing House 2019
The Big Babushka Book | Clasikaletet 2018
And Then the Wind Blew | Kinneret Publishing House 2017
Where’s That Monster? | Clasikaletet 2017
It’s Not Easy To Be A Superhero | Keter Publishing 2015
Princess Zohara | Tal-May Books 2013
The Rabbit That Wanted To Be A Tree | Keter Publishing 2013
Semi-White Dove Over Jerusalem | Hakibbutz Hameuhad 2011
The Magic Of Dalia And Avia | Tal-May Books 2009
My Secret | Tal-May Books 2008
Laura | Hakibbutz Hameuhad 2007