Danika Runyan

Danika Runyan – Designer

Hi, I have a playful and whimsical art style and have helped illustrate and design 25+ children's books. Reach out and let's talk!

Overview

Let’s Bring Your Story to Life!

I’ve illustrated over 25 children’s books filled with colorful characters and magical worlds. My digital art has helped both publishers and independent authors turn stories into beautiful books that kids love.

I work in a range of styles and always aim to match your vision and timeline. Whether your story features people, animals, or fantasy settings, I create art that brings the words to life.

Got a manuscript ready? Let’s chat—by phone or Zoom—and create a book that makes kids (and grown-ups) smile.

-I don't use AI at any point while illustrating.

Services
Non-Fiction
Children’s Non-Fiction
Fiction
Picture Books
Languages
English

Portfolio

Made with Reedsy
Run, Richie, Run! The Legend of a Longshot

Bardere, Linda

Independently published

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Annabelle's New Day

Vanasse, Sarah

Sarah Vanasse

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Hu-Ubuntu: I Am Because We Are

Makokoro, Patrick

Tellwell Talent

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Wildflower Walk

Hansen, Amy

Independently published

Cover Design Illustration Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
STIM-TASTIC: An Empowering Adventure for Neurodivergent Kids Everywhere

Clark, Leslie

CAMsDEN Publishing

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Do You See It?

Acosta, Yamnis

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
The Special Snowflake

(Moser) Means, Erin Elizabeth

Independently published

Cover Design Illustration
Made with Reedsy
This Is Your Family, Cody

Miragliotta, Stephanie E

Independently published

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Bella's Cheering Spirit (The Sea's Symphony)

Melton, Bridgette

Bridgette Melton

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
On The Road To Nana's House

Marano, Mr. Brandon C

Maraknow?s Best

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
The Paper Route

Jenson, Doug

Independently published

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Arnold's Silent Heart (The Sea's Symphony)

Melton, Bridgette

Bridgette Melton

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Ethan´s Rise

Dean, E.

McClain Publishing Group

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Worry-Free Sparkles: A Magical Adventure of Overcoming Worries

Ambrocio, Lorain

Lorain Ambrocio

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
100 Little Lambs

Wilson, Sierra

Cedar Fort, Inc.

Illustration
Rosie's Special Gift: A Mother and Daughter Love Journey with Plants

Moore , Veronica

Leaf & Vine Books

Cover Design Illustration Typography Book Interior Design
PENELOPE'S HEALING GARDEN

MESEBERG, HOLLY

Cover Design Illustration Book Interior Design
The Rich Camel

Harris, Nina

Cover Design Illustration

Danika has 28 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Anna S.

Anna S.

Oct, 2025

Pinned
First of all, Danika has the patience of a saint. She went above and beyond to help me achieve my first children's book and I am forever grateful for her beautiful imagination, professionalism, dedication, and honest input throughout the entire project. Working with Danika was an amazing experien...
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Danika R.
Thank you! It was wonderful working on this book with you, and I love how it turned out!
Linda B.

Linda B.

Mar, 2025

Pinned
Working with Danika was an outstanding experience! I am thrilled with the illustrations she created for my book. I was impressed with her ability to capture my vision for my main character. She has the unique ability to make her characters lovable and joyful. Danika’s typography really blended ...
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Bridgette M.

Bridgette M.

May, 2024

Pinned
Danika was absolutely amazing to work with. She communicated effectively and truly helped me publish my first book, I couldn't have done it with out her expertise and experience. Danika made my book come alive and I can't wait to start working with her again!
Danika R.
Thank you! I'm excited for our next project!
Cecilia V.

Cecilia V.

Dec, 2025

Danika was amazing. She was very clear in her process. We communicated back and forth. This was a tricky project since it was a picture book biography of someone who was alive during the whole process. He exceeded my expectations. Her work is exquisite. She is a professional and an amazing ...
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Danika R.
Thank you! This was such a fun and special project! I'm glad I was able to work with you. Reach out if you ever have another book idea.
Danielle D.

Danielle D.

Nov, 2025

Danika truly was exceptional to work with. As a first time author, I was skeptical of the process of publishing my own work and bringing the words to life through illustration. After chatting with Danika and seeing her previous work, I was drawn to her artistry and genuine kindness. She explained...
Read more
Danika R.
Thank you! It was wonderful seeing this project come to life.

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Most recent contributions

What, in your opinion, is most important to remember when illustrating for children's books?

Have fun. These books are for kids and if you think about it the world of children's books doesn't need to have rules. So push the boundaries of your drawings. Maybe the trees are pink, blue, and red instead of green. Or the house is full of wonky windows, you don't need to stick to reality. Col...
Read more

As a standard, how many concepts and rounds of revisions do designers offer in their quotes?

The short answer is two per round.   I have several rounds during a project, and before I start each round, I ask for and read through all the authors' notes about what they are looking for. If I've forgotten something that they specifically asked for in the beginning, I won't count that as par...
Read more

What steps do you take to ensure a character design is consistent across various scenes or projects?

My first step when I start a children's book is to create a character sheet of all the main characters. Having a character line up shows how each character will look and compare to each other. Who is the tallest/ shortest, what colors is everyone wearing, do they all look like they belong in the ...
Read more

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