Selina alko
Good Job Photos
Short bio
Selina Alko is an award-winning author and illustrator known for blending lyrical storytelling with vibrant mixed-media art. Raised in Vancouver by a Turkish Jewish father and Jewish mother, she grew up immersed in culture, creativity, and diverse perspectives that continue to shape her work. Selina has a degree in art history from University of British Columbia and a BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. She has created more than twenty-five acclaimed children's books, with features in The New York Times, NPR, People, and Time Out New York Kids. A National Jewish Book Award winner, her titles have also been honored as Junior Library Guild Gold selections and Bank Street Best Books of the Year. She is the recipient of the Mills Tannenbaum Award for Excellence in Children’s Literacy.
Selina at 12 years old
Selina's first book
(elementary school)
Selina at Virigina's Supreme Court 2016
long bio
It’s no surprise that award-winning author and multimedia artist Selina Alko has built her career by blending evocative language with vibrant mixed-media art to tell stories of hope, identity, and perspective. Raised in Vancouver, Canada, Selina grew up steeped in culture and creativity. Her Turkish Jewish father—a painter, polyglot, and entrepreneur—and her Jewish mother, who worked in the family’s century-old metal-recycling business, filled her world with rich stories, diverse viewpoints, and an appreciation for both artistic expression and resilience.
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As a child, Selina devoured the works of Richard Scarry and Beverly Cleary, alongside her all-time favorite, Judy Blume. She also began writing her own stories, filling a cherished notebook titled Mary and Her Adventures, which she enthusiastically illustrated. Summers at a Jewish sleepaway camp in British Columbia further shaped her creative spirit—deepening her love of folk music, mural painting, and social activism—and the friendships she formed there became a lasting source of inspiration, belonging, and creative confidence.
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These early influences—rooted in culture, music, empathy, and a keen awareness of the world—continue to inform the more than twenty-five acclaimed children’s books she has created. Selina has a degree in art history from University of British Columbia and a BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. Her work has been translated into Spanish and German and featured in outlets such as The New York Times, NPR, People, and Time Out New York Kids. Selina is a National Jewish Book Award winner; several of her titles are Junior Library Guild Gold selections and Bank Street College Best Books of the Year. She is also the recipient of the Mills Tannenbaum Award for Excellence in Children’s Literacy.
assets
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headshot + book covers TK