Bio

Photo © C. Grey Hawkins

Lily Williams is an author, illustrator, and storyteller who seeks to inspire change through education. Her work covers many topics, from the trophic cascade in the award-winning animated documentary short film FINconceivable and critically acclaimed award-winning If Animals Disappeared nonfiction picture book series, to menstrual equity in the LA Times Book Prize finalist and Eisner Nominated graphic novel, Go With The Flow, to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in her My O.C.D. Story and I’m So O.C.D. That… comics and upcoming graphic novel Exposures (First Second). Lily believes in the power of making information fun, educational, and accessible for all audiences.

Lily grew up in Northern California where she graduated from California College of the Arts with a B.F.A. in Animation. She spent time working in feature film animation in Los Angeles before becoming a freelance illustrator. In addition to public speaking engagements, Lily teaches kids of all ages in a variety of settings through University classes, public school, and online.

When she isn’t creating, Lily can be found dreaming about the smell of cold winter air, listening for the sound of airplanes on a rainy day, and perfecting her gluten-free waffle recipe. Lily lives in Colorado with her husband and fellow illustrator, C. Grey Hawkins, and their rescue rabbits.

PARTIAL CLIENT LIST

Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group / Bloomsbury Publishing / HarperCollins Publishers / Sony Pictures Animation / Warner Brothers Animation / Mattel Inc. / GoldieBlox / The Lily, published by the Washington Post / Macy’s / Dissent Pins / Stacey Abrams Gubernatorial Campaign / Traditional Cultures Project

For awards & lists on individual projects (books/film), please visit their pages.

COLORADO BOOK AWARDS CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD, finalist, 2023

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BEIJING PANDA BOOK AWARDS MATURE READER CATEGORY, winner, 2021-2022

SSBOY, winner, 2021

NSTA OUTSTANDING SCIENCE TRADE BOOK FOR STUDENTS K-12, 2022

MICHIGAN READING ASSOCIATION GREAT LAKES BOOK AWARD, winner, 2021

MATHICAL HONOR BOOK BY MSRI AND NCTE, 2021

EISNER AWARD, BEST PUBLICATION FOR KIDS, nominee, 2021

LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE, finalist, 2020

ALA NOTABLE BOOK, 2020

YALSA GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS, 2021

RISE: A FEMINIST BOOK PROJECT 2021 BOOKLIST

KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF 2017 & 2020

NPR’S BEST BOOK OF 2020

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY’S TOP TEN BOOKS OF 2020

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY’S BEST OF THE BEST, 2020

TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION MAVERICK LIST, 2021

INDIE NEXT LIST, 2020

READ BRAVE SAINT PAUL EARLY GRADE PICK, 2020

PURE WOW HAPPY KID AWARD, winner, 2020

THE COOK PRIZE, semi-finalist, 2019

THE NATURE GENERATION GREEN EARTH BOOK AWARD LONG LIST, nominee, 2019

GRAND CANYON YOUNG READER AWARD, winner, 2019

INDIANA LIBRARY FEDERATION YBHA PICTUREBOOK, 2019

AAAS SUBARU PRIZE, 2018

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH, Orbis Pictus notable book, 2018

SANTA MONICA PUBLIC LIBRARY GREEN PRIZE FOR SUSTAINABLE LITERATURE, winner, 2018

MICHIGAN READING ASSOCIATION GREAT LAKES BOOK AWARD, honor book, 2018

MARYLAND BLUE CRAB YOUNG READER AWARD (NONFICTION), winner, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL, animation award winner, 2016