Some of the fine folks I’ve worked with.
Disney Hyperion • Nancy Paulsen Books • River Horse Books • Penguin Group Books • Scholastic • Houghton Mifflin • Saatchi & Saatchi X • Highlights Magazine • American Greetings • Disney Interactive • Girl’s World / Animal Tales • Stone Arch Books • Capstone Publishing • Warner Independent • Disney Adventures Magazine • ESPN: The Magazine • Weekly Reader Group • Spin Master Games • Sterling Publishing • Amanzi Tea • Chuy’s Restaurant Group • The Oklahoma City Zoo • The Austin Chronicle • The Gazette (Oklahoma City) • The Fort Worth Star-Telegram • The McClatchy Company
Hey there!
I’m CS Jennings. I live in Austin, Texas. Creativity, design, storytelling, collaboration—these are the things that get me excited.
I draw lots of stuff. I do a ton of illustration for the kid’s markets, but I go wherever my pencil will take me. Publishing, gaming, editorial, advertising, entertainment, animation, commercial, apparel, apps, greeting cards—yep, I’ve pretty much done everything.
I love writing and illustrating! I could not be more excited to share with you my new three-book graphic novel series from Disney Hyperion, Pet Shop Racers! That and my new picture book, WHOA PANDA! from Nancy Paulsen Books come out in 2025. I’ve drawn a stack of books for kids (see full bibliography below). I’ve illustrated books for Penguin Group Books, Houghton Mifflin, Scholastic, Stone Arch Books, and Union Square & Co., (you can see the full list above.) I love collaborating with art directors and editors. (I especially enjoy the revision process of the book. Weird, I know.) Storytelling has always inhabited my drawing. As I write more, my stories find their expression in words.
Animation is a passion. I was assistant animation director with Minnow Mountain on The Tornante Company’s Amazon production Undone (seasons one and two). I’ve worked twice now with Richard Linklater, as an animation lead on A Scanner Darkly (2004) and as assistant animation director on Apollo 10 1/2: A Space-Age Adventure (2022). I love collaborating with animation teams. I was honored to work with the amazing staff we had at Minnow Mountain; the directors, the producers, and teams at Warner Independent, Netflix, Tornante, and Submarine in Amsterdam. Assistant animation direction, character design, and sequential storytelling are what I have to offer the industry.
Design has been a guiding force in my life. My degree is in graphic communication with an informal study in illustration (I maxed out the illustration courses my university offered). In my career I have been a graphic designer, art and creative director. (I love working with a team.) Informed by my design training, shape and movement are key elements in my illustration work. I believe that good design is a foundation of our industry—and life, really—regardless of the medium. I’m a nerd for it wherever it shows up—page, computer or device screen, interior and architecture.
Meeting deadlines is what I do. I honed my illustration chops in newspapers; I’m a master of the quick turnaround. Whether it’s knocking out pirates and sharks for Duracell, box-top skunks and porcupines for the Would You Rather? series of games, character and environment concepts for Disney Interactive, or a bunch of player caricatures for an ESPN: The Magazine article—the project will be delivered on time.
It’s important to be part of the community. Giving back and mentoring are crucial for those of us who have been doing this for a while. Aside from my involvement in social media, I’ve taught at the university level, spoken to elementary and high school classrooms, and am part of informal industry groups across the city. From 2016 to 2020 I was Illustrator Coordinator for the Austin chapter of The Society of Children’s Book Writer and Illustrators. (A vibrant community of writers and illustrators.)
Drop me a line. I would love to hear from you. Let’s have a good time knocking something out.
A few notes:
- I work with established publishers and companies. I am not taking requests from self-published authors or those looking to collaborate on a children’s book in hopes of getting published. (Don’t wait on an illustrator! Send out your manuscript! The publisher will pair you with an artist they’ve been jonesing to work with.)
- I will take requests for commissions—providing I have the time to knock it out.
- Most artwork on this site can be purchased as a print or other sweet item.
- For more details, see the contact page.
I am proudly represented by the amazing Tim Travaglini of the Transatlantic Agency.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Author and Illustrator:
– Whoa Panda!; Picture Book; 2025; Nancy Paulsen Books
– Pet Shop Racers, Book 1; Graphic Novel; 2025; Disney • Hyperion
– Pet Shop Racers, Book 2; Graphic Novel; 2025; Disney • Hyperion
– Pet Shop Racers, Book 3; Graphic Novel; 2025; Disney • Hyperion
– Animal Band; Picture Book; 2008; Sterling Publishing (Now Union Square & Co.)
Author:
– Hello, Texas!; Board Book; 2010; Sterling Publishing (Now Union Square & Co.)
Illustrator:
– Behold, It’s Uni Pig!; Picture Book; 2023, River Horse Books
– Prank Lab; Novelty Book; 2022; Scholastic
– Phenom Readers; Digital Book; 2020; Houghton Mifflin
– From an Idea to Disney; Non-fiction; 2019; author- Lowey Bundy Sichol; Houghton Mifflin
– From an Idea to LEGO; Non-fiction; 2019; author- Lowey Bundy Sichol; Houghton Mifflin
– From an Idea to Google; Non-fiction; 2019; author- Lowey Bundy Sichol; Houghton Mifflin
– From an Idea to Nike; Non-fiction; 2019; author- Lowey Bundy Sichol; Houghton Mifflin
– Prank Lab; Activity Kit; 2022; Scholastic
– My America: An Owner’s Guide; Non-fiction; 2017; Colonial Williamsburg Press
– Goldilocks and the Three Vampires; 2016; Graphic Novel; author- Laurie S. Sutton; Capstone
– Liar Liar, Lie Detector!; Middle-Grade; 2016; author- Trey King; Scholastic
– Spy 101: Intro to Espionage; Middle-Grade; 2014; author- Trey King; Scholastic
– Spy Guide; Middle-Grade; 2014; author- Trey King; Scholastic
– Children at the Well; Pop-up Board Book; 2014, Inprov LTD
– A Serious Case of the Sillies; Joke Book; 2013; author- Kris Hirschmann; Scholastic
– Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow; Chapter Book; 2011; Nathan Bransford; Dial Books
– Jacob Wonderbar for President, Chapter Book; 2012; Nathan Bransford; Dial Books
– Jacob Wonderbar and the Interstellar Time Warp; cChapter Book; 2013; Nathan Bransford; Dial Books
– The Incredible Rockhead; Graphic Novel; 2009; author- Scott Nickel; Stone Arch Books
– The Incredible Rockhead: The Dozer Strikes; Graphic Novel; 2009; author- Scott Nickel; Stone Arch Books
– The Incredible Rockhead vs Papercut!; Graphic Novel; 2009; author- Scott Nickel; Stone Arch Books
– The Incredible Rockhead and the Spectacular Scissorlegz; Graphic Novel; 2010; author- Scott Nickel; Stone Arch Books