Mirelle Ortega
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msmirelle.bsky.social
Mirelle Ortega
@msmirelle.bsky.social
🇲🇽 award-winning artist and writer for kidlit and animation. Author/illustrator of MAGIC and RIVER OF MARIPOSAS.

Website: https://www.mirelleortega.com/
Instagram: @msmirelle
Newsletter: https://mirelleortega.substack.com/
My Day of the Dead Altar this year.

My grandparents died when I was - teenager and lived in Mexico. So much has happened since! In my altar, I like leaving snacks and candy of things that I’ve tasted since that I would have liked them to try (because I know they would have loved) 🤍
November 3, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Feliz Día de Muertos 🖤

A spread from my book “Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land”
November 2, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Dodgers back to back!!!!!!! 😭✨
November 2, 2025 at 4:21 AM
What a World series !!!!!!!
November 2, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Feliz Día de Muertos to everyone who celebrates today and tomorrow.

I hope your altars are set and that you may feel the love of your dearly departed today and always 🖤
November 1, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Happy Halloween 👻
October 31, 2025 at 6:17 PM
It’s publishing Day for PEPE AND THE PIÑATA 🪅✨

You can get the book here: littlebeebooks.com/books/pepe-a...

Disponible también en español 🤗
October 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM
“I am Halloween - spooky, creepy, hocus-pocus. Y soy el día de los Muertos - ofrendas, catrinas y papel picado.”

One of my favorite spreads I got to illustrate for “I Am, Yo Soy”. A very special dua-lingual book about growing up a part of two different cultures.
October 20, 2025 at 3:12 PM
This is the time of year when I take naps to the “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” soundtrack.
October 15, 2025 at 4:24 PM
California fall 🍁
October 15, 2025 at 4:11 PM
I wrote about the end of summer and endpapers for newsletter.doc 💛

You can check it out here (it’s free):
mirelleortega.substack.com/p/the-endpap...
September 28, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Some cute pictures from the Draw Off at the LA Libros Festival last weekend!!
September 21, 2025 at 5:04 AM
Happy Mexican Independence Day! And Happy Hispanic Heritage month!

I didn’t have time to do a drawing this year, so I’m reposting some of my favorites I’ve drawn through the years.
September 17, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Reposted by Mirelle Ortega
I AM, YO SOY by Gabriela Orozco Belt, illus. by @msmirelle.bsky.social is a lyrical, dual-lingual picture book about the beauty of being part of two cultures! This is a wonderful read-aloud book—and a great one to share this upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month 🌟
September 3, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Congrats 🎉✨
Congratulations @MiaWenjen the Julia Ward Howe Award from @BostonAuthorsClub & @carriefinison.bsky.social for a Notable. Thank you, BAC, for recognizing FREE TO LEARN @Atheneum @msmirelle.bsky.social. Ceremony 9/17 @MetropolitanWaterworksMuseum. Congratulations, adult winners, too!
August 7, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Reposted by Mirelle Ortega
Today on National Parents Day, we highlight MAMIACHI & ME written by mom and son duo, @writerjolene.bsky.social/Dakota Gutiérrez illustrated by @msmirelle.bsky.social plus THE YOWLERS by Stacy Lynn Carroll illustrated by @mollyruttan.bsky.social. #kidlit #kidlitart
July 27, 2025 at 6:09 PM
It’s like a little bit gloomy outside and all I want to do is light a candle, decorate for Halloween and read a book about Vampires.
July 22, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Me 🤝 Brazilian food at the mall
July 16, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Jarocha no. 1

Gouache, color pencil and posca marker on mixed media paper.

A little Jarocha from a series I’m painting!
July 12, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I learned to play chess a couple weeks ago… apparently just in time for this 3 hour video about chess I just found on YouTube!!
July 8, 2025 at 7:06 PM
You can get 25% off if you pre-order PEPE AND THE PIÑATA today! ✨

shorturl.at/2fySW
July 8, 2025 at 7:05 PM
I loved these two pieces at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
July 3, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Hi friends! I’ll be at the ALA convention this weekend. I’ll be doing two book signings, come say hi ☺️
June 23, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Reposted by Mirelle Ortega
Happy World Day of Music! 🎶 🎵

We love SOMETHING WILD by @mollyruttan.bsky.social and MAMIACHI AND ME by @writerjolene.bsky.social and Dakota Gutierrez with art by @msmirelle.bsky.social!

These sweet books are music to our eyes and ears!
❤️📚🎻 🎸
#kidlit #picturebooks #music
June 21, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Reposted by Mirelle Ortega
So much gratitude to Andrea Y. Wang for hosting me on the Picture Book Builders site for an interview about MAMIACHI & ME: MY MAMI'S MARIACHI BAND by Dakota Gutierrez, @msmirelle.bsky.social, and me today! There is a #giveaway!

picturebookbuilders.com/2025/06/mami...

#kidlit #picturebooks #teacher
June 18, 2025 at 3:46 AM