How I Got Started

I started drawing on my own when I was seven years old. I used color pencils and markers to copy images from greeting cards, coloring books and beach towels. My parents were always supportive. They loved everything I created. It gave me the confidence to decide to study art in college. After researching the different types of artists, I knew I wanted to be an illustrator because I loved to read. The idea of illustrating the covers of novels and articles in magazines and newspapers was thrilling.

Six months after graduating from The School of Visual Arts, someone referred me to Harper Collins. I assumed it was for adult book jackets, but, much to my surprise, Toni Markiet, was an editor of children’s books. She asked me to do two sample illustrations for a manuscript by Ann Turner. A month later I found out I got the job! HERON STREET came out in 1989 to rave reviews. It was a such a satisfying creative experience that I fell completely in love with picture books. After illustrating many books, I started writing some of them, too.

Now, I have illustrated and/or written over 35 books for children. MY HOUSE was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book; LOVE LETTERS by Arnold Adoff was a BCCB Blue Ribbon Book and School Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of the Year, DOT THE FIRE DOG has sold over 400,000 copies. MY BEAUTIFUL CHILD was illustrated by my husband, Matt Mahurin. A school librarian had this to say: “With its spare text and quiet illustrations lies the powerful message of teaching a child to appreciate the simple things in life through a parent’s unselfish love…I plan to buy a copy for my library, my daughter, and as a gift for everyone I know with kids. It’s that good.” MY most recent book is THE FLEATASTICS, “Desimini’s universe of fleas delights with boundless imagination and pockets of hilarious flea dialogue, vivaciously depicted.” –Kirkus Reviews

I have created over 150 book covers, including those for Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams, The Bean Trees, and Pigs in Heaven; Ayelet Waldman’s Nursery Crime Series; The John Nichols trilogy; The Sookie Stackhouse Series which was turned into HBO’s True Blood, and most recently I was commisioned to create the cover and six interior images for a special edition of The Man Who Fell to Earth which will be released Fall 2022.

I’ve also worked as an editorial illustrator. Some of my clients were: New York Newsday, Business Week, Seventeen Magazine, Spin, The Utne Reader, The Chicago Tribune, Fortune Magazine and many more.

I have visited schools and led workshops all over the country. I taught illustration and children’s book illustration at The School of Visual Arts for four years.

I have worked in oils, acrylics, paper collage, photography, and digital–sometimes I combine them all!

I live in Topanga with my husband and two kitties; BuddhaBear & Crash (BabyGirl)