Cover Art Reveal: Many Little Squiggles

Hands down, the cover reveal is one of my favorite parts of the whole book-making process. It's so fun to see the face of a book come to life! In this article, I'll reveal the completed cover art for Many Little Squiggles, which will release in the fall of 2026.

For anyone who is not familiar with this series, Many Little Squiggles is the sequel to One Little Squiggle, which won the 2025 SCBWI Spark Honor Award. Like its predecessor, Many Little Squiggles is all about creativity and drawing, and this book answers the question: What happens when one little squiggle becomes something new? What if it's a different color, size, or shape? Does changing the squiggle take creativity and squiggle art to a new level? I guess we'll find out this fall! 😉

For now, let's get back to the book cover. Earlier this week, Illustrator Polina Gortman officially completed the cover art for Many Little Squiggles. This is a big step in finishing the book, and I'm so excited to share the finished cover art with you...but first, here's a peek into the cover creation process:

In January, Polina created three concept sketches for the cover. Scroll through the photos below to view each concept:

As you can see, Polina initially took the cover art in three very different directions. I loved the variety in the options, but it gave me a lot to think about. Which concept best encapsulated this book and best carried on the series? At first, I wasn't sure. I really liked the following elements of each:

1. I liked how Concept #1 incorporated the iconic pink tree from Squiggleville and some of the Squiggleville characters, especially the peacock. I also liked how it showed the kids drawing since that is such an important element of the story. The composition of the front cover and how it wrapped around to the back was also beautifully-crafted.

   
   

2. I liked how Concept #2 showcased the kids' creativity and wonder, and I loved the wide variety of squiggles displayed on the front. This concept was all about the squiggles!

   
   

3. I liked how Concept #3 showed the kids drawing AND embarking on a grand adventure. I loved the composition of the magic carpet and the kids, and I thought the addition of the cat was very fitting and adorable. I also loved how the squiggles originated from the girl’s pencil since that harkens back to the cover of Book #1.

Given three amazing options, it wasn't easy to narrow them down and pick a direction. However, after much consideration, I ultimately selected Concept #3 (the magic carpet). Here's why:

1. While I loved Concept #1, it seemed to be missing a sense of adventure. To someone who is unfamiliar with this series, they might think the kids are just sitting under a tree drawing. They might not pick-up on the kids' imaginative adventure to Squiggleville.

   
   

2. While Concept #2 encouraged creativity, there was no direct reference to drawing on the front cover. Yes, the kids were drawing on the back cover, but, in the end, I decided that wasn't enough. Plus, although I loved the variety of squiggles on the front, I was concerned that they obscured the title font a bit too much.

   
   

3. The only thing that I felt was missing from Concept #3 was a few Squiggleville characters (like the peacock!), but there was plenty of room for characters to be added to the back cover.

So, after mulling everything over and weighing the pros and cons of each option, I selected Concept #3. In my opinion, it's the perfect blend of drawing and creative adventure!

Winning Cover Concept

After choosing this concept, Polina and I discussed making a few adjustments to it. These adjustments included choosing the lettering style for the title font and adding a Squiggleville scene to the back cover, complete with the iconic pink tree and some of the most memorable Squiggleville characters from the book. Polina then set to work creating the final cover sketch, which looked like this:

Now that's what I'm talking about! Spot on, Polina, spot on!!! 😃 At this point, Polina was ready to digitally paint the cover in Procreate, turning the above sketch into the final, full-color cover art below:

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

TA-DA!!! Isn't it gorgeous?! I love how colorful it is and how Polina incorporated the sunset and fireworks in the background. This is a little different than Book #1 (which had a white background), but I think it takes this cover up a notch (which is what this book is all about!). I also love how it conveys the kids' grand adventure in Squiggleville and how it includes some of the most memorable and fantastical characters from their journey. Most of all, I love how the kids are drawing and how the Squiggleville scene appears to flow out of the girls' pencil (and thus out of her imagination). This element is similar to the cover of Book #1, and it reinforces the story's themes of creativity and drawing squiggle doodles. Finally, I love the wondrous expressions on the kids' faces and the playful position of the cat. In my opinion, Polina couldn't have created a better cover for this book! 🙌

So, what's next? Well, the cover art is complete, but the cover is not. (Notice that there are no words on the cover except for the book's title. This means we still have work to do!) In May, I'll turn Polina's masterpiece over to Book Designer Lauren Gallegos to work her design magic. Over the next three months, Lauren and I will collaborate to choose the font styles, sizes, and colors (for both the cover and interior of the book) and to position the text on the pages, among other design details. Our primary goal will be to maintain consistency with the first book while still giving this book a unique (and hopefully showstopping) identity. I'd say we're off to a great start! 👍

Before I go, here's one more look at the whole cover creation process. Scroll through the photos below to watch the cover come to life!

And here's a side-by-side look at the covers for both books in the series:

Like I said, the new cover isn't quite done, but I'll update the above image with the completed cover as soon as it's finished. In the meantime, I cannot thank Polina enough for her hard work and dedication on this cover art! She is an incredibly talented illustrator, and I consider myself very lucky to have her on my team! 🙌

For more information about Polina Gortman, read my Illustrator Spotlight blog. To learn more about Lauren Gallegos, read my Book Designer Spotlight blog. You can also check out the latest publishing update for Many Little Squiggles here. Otherwise, stay tuned for the reveal of the fully completed cover sometime this summer!