Elise Gravel | author – illustrator

Body diversity

All bodies are beautiful! I drew this to teach kids that their body is their best friend, no matter what it looks or feels like, no matter what they can or can’t do with it. Body positivity is essential for mental and physical health. Kids are shown mostly thin, fit, able bodies through social media; I think it’s important to get them to see as much body diversity as possible.

Teachers and parents, you can download it here and print it for school or home use (no commercial uses allowed).

For more free printable posters, visit my boutique in the “free printable stuff” section. To see my books, click here. If you want to license this image, contact my agent (Contact form above).

New book: PUPPY in my head

I wrote this book for my daughter. When she was younger, she used to have a lot of anxiety before bedtime. I told her to imagine that there was a very sensitive, excited puppy in her head, and that she could calm him down with a magical leash: long, gentle breaths.

It’s in bookstores now!

Free printable: what does “Courage mean?

Here’s a free printable comic I made to help kids understand that courage doesn’t mean having no fear, but rather recognizing and facing them. I want to help them have compassion for themselves and their fears and understand anxiety better. Teachers and parents, you can download it here and print it for school or home use (no commercial uses allowed).

For more free printable posters, visit my boutique in the “free printable stuff” section. To see my books, click here. If you want to license this image, contact my agent (Contact form above).

King of the birds – Arlo and Pips

Meet Arlo and Pips!

From Kirkus Reviews:

Two birds become fine feathered friends in this early graphic novel.

Arlo is a cocky crow confident that there is “no greater bird than… / ME. THE CROW, king of the feathered world.” Pips is a small yellow bird who pokes questioning holes in Arlo’s bravado. Arlo doesn’t mind Pips’ frank queries, seeing them as an opportunity to show off his skills, and throughout the book the two maintain an amicable relationship. There is a thin plotline in which Pips shows Arlo around the city where Pips lives, and the two take a trip to the beach, but the real driving energy is the relationship between the two and the opportunities for gentle humor their interactions provide. Through Pips’ inquisitiveness and Arlo’s desire to prove himself, readers also learn much about the intelligence, diet, and behavior of crows. Relevant fun facts about crows are interwoven throughout the book, often in casual and easily accessible footnotes that provide informational context to Arlo’s self-aggrandizing claims. Deceptively simple, this graphic novel’s straightforward sentences, limited color scheme, and thick black outlines make this a perfect match for newly independent readers. Both fans of Gravel’s previous work and newcomers alike will be delighted.

A charming treasure. (Graphic fiction. 6-10) Get it HERE!

Not like other girls

I feel sad every time I hear a girl proudly affirm that she’s “not like other girls”, as if all girls were the same, and somewhat lame. I’m PROUD to be “like other women”. Other women are awesome, and every single one of them is unique, just like me.

What friendship should feel like

Here’s a free printable comic I made to help kids understand how good and bad friendships should feel like. It’s not always easy to distinguish between a relationship that’s supportive and one that’s toxic or abusive. Teachers and parents, you can download it here and print it for school or home use (no commercial uses allowed).

For more free printable posters, visit my boutique in the “free printable stuff” section. To see my books, click here. If you want to license this image, contact my agent (Contact form above).

It’s OK to not understand everything!

Here’s a free printable poster I made to teach kids that it’s normal to not understand everything and that asking questions is a good way to learn. Teachers and parents, you can download it here and print it for school or home use (no commercial uses allowed).

For more free printable posters, visit my boutique in the “free printable stuff” section. To see my books, click here. If you want to license this image, contact my agent (Contact form above).