There are certain things you never truly outgrow. For me, one of them is the love of a good story. I especially love the kind that digs deep into the why behind everything. I’ve never been someone who gets too caught up in the specifics of a plot’s setting or timeline. What draws me in is the origin—where the story’s heart beats. I’ve always been captivated by the stories that define a people. These stories include legends, fairy tales, and myths. They are passed from generation to generation. They reveal what a culture values, fears, and hopes for. That’s why illustration has always had such a strong pull on me. That’s why I’m returning to Children’s book illustration.
Stories—especially those intended for children — strip life down to its essence. When you remove the costumes of time and place, you find the constant: people. The emotions are the same whether they’re represented as animals in waistcoats or children in enchanted forests. Love. Envy. Courage. Compassion. Fear. Duty. Those are the truths that last. That’s what I care most about illustrating.
Circular Route Back to Illustration
After illustrating two children’s books, I stepped away from illustration for a long while. Life pulled me in other directions—as it tends to—but the stories never stopped whispering. What finally brought me back was the realization that I still needed to create something meaningful. Something beautiful. For me, a good day ends with a sketch on the table or a painting still drying—something that exists now that didn’t exist that morning. That’s magic.
“In children’s stories, good can still triumph over evil, kindness matters, and small acts of bravery make a difference.”
Stories That I Love
Children’s stories have always spoken to me with a kind of purity that adult stories rarely capture. They’re not naive—they’re honest. In children’s stories, good can still triumph over evil, kindness matters, and small acts of bravery make a difference. I’ve always wanted to be part of that belief in light, in goodness, in wonder, again, not as a consumer, but as a creator.
Maybe it’s no surprise that my favorite movie isn’t an action-packed blockbuster. It’s Little Lord Fauntleroy—the 1980 version with Alec Guinness and Ricky Schroeder. It’s tender, full of heart, and timeless in its message. Like the stories I want to tell and the pictures I want to paint, it reminds us what we should never forget: that decency, love, and innocence matter—and always will.
So, I’m returning to illustration—not because I’m chasing a trend, but because I’m finally ready to tell the stories that have always mattered to me. Stories that stir the heart. That makes you feel something real. That reminds us of who we are and who we still hope to be.
M. Chad Randall is a published children’s book illustrator known for his gentle, emotionally resonant artwork. He is available for partnerships with writers, publishers, and editors who value timeless, story-driven illustration. He’d love to bring your next project to life. Contact HERE.
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