Ellen Surrey

Ellen Surrey is a Los Angeles based illustrator whose colorful work blends her love of mid-century design and vintage children’s books. Reminiscent of the classic Little Golden Book series, Ellen’s work generates feelings of nostalgia while also being contemporary. 

Nosy Crow will release This Book Will Make You an Artist in 2024. Ellen is the illustrator of Dolly! (Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano Books). Her work has appeared in such publications as The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Los Angeles Times. You can follow her on Instagram/Twitter @yesurrey.

Reviews

Dolly!: The Story of Dolly Parton and Her Big Dream

“Composer, entrepreneur, performer, and philanthropist Dolly Parton's lifelong love of music bubbles to the top in this new picture book biography, focusing on her tough upbringing in Tennessee and how that shaped her path. For children unfamiliar with Parton, this digitally illustrated book is as bright as the singer's favorite outfits and its exaggerated cartoon style will connect with fans of animated shows popular today. The text focuses almost disproportionately on Parton's early life, circling around the different ways music made an appearance in her early years—from porch concerts to radio listening to her mama singing—and then moves on, in the final pages, to the artist's first public performances and ultimately her career successes . . . The inclusion of "Dolly-isms" in the back matter is a treat. Add this to any collection that lacks a Parton biography.”—School Library Journal

“A poor country girl’s journey from pounding out rhythms on pots and pans to achieving global music stardom. McGrath re-creates the flavor of Parton’s childhood “deep in a holler of the Great Smoky Mountains” with well-chosen details, such as a reference to a “handmade corncob doll” that was the subject of young Dolly’s first song . . . A profile of the Queen of Country Music that conveys the spirit and spunk of a little girl with a big vision.” —Kirkus Reviews