Illustration Alumnus Rhode Montijo Publishes First Children's Book

San Francisco, July 27, 2006

CCA illustration alumnus Rhode Montijo ('95) published his first children's book, "Cloud Boy," with Simon & Schuster in April 2006. Montijo both wrote and illustrated this story about belonging and sharing that goes to the heart of what it means to be an artist.

Montijo said, "After graduating I took an extended education course at CCA in children's books by author/artist Arden Johnson, who showed me the tools I needed to get published. I came up with the idea of 'Cloud Boy' in her class by wondering what it would be like if there were someone up in the clouds, creating the shapes we see. 'Cloud Boy' is about belonging and sharing with art, and a story that I hope will appeal to anyone, especially those who express themselves creatively."

Montijo has also illustrated a new children's book titled "The Three Swingin' Pigs" due out in 2007 from publisher Henry Holt and written by Vicky Rubin. The illustrations are fully painted, which is a first for Montijo.

He is currently illustrating the eight-book series "Melvin Beederman, Superhero" for Henry Holt. Three of the Beederman books are available: "The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich," "The Revenge of the McNasty Brothers," and "The Grateful Fred."

Starting in 1999, Montijo self-published the five-issue comic book "Pablo's Inferno," a Xeric Foundation grant recipient.

For more information, visit Rhode Montijo's website. For more information about the CCA Illustration Program, see Illustration.