Davide Ortu author page

Davide Ortu biography

Davide Ortu is an Italian artist and children’s book illustrator. He studied art at Cagliari Arts Lyceum Foiso Fois in Sardinia, began his career as a graphic designer in advertising, and developed his painting through exhibitions before moving into children’s illustration in 2008.

His illustration work includes Louie Stowell’s Kit the Wizard books. The Dragon in the Library, illustrated by Ortu, was published by Nosy Crow on 5 July 2018 in the UK and by Candlewick Press on 16 March 2021 in the United States.

Ortu also illustrated later books in the same series, including The Monster in the Lake, published by Candlewick Press on 8 February 2022, and The Wizard in the Wood, the third Kit the Wizard title by Louie Stowell.

His other children’s illustration projects include The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince by Ian Eagleton, published on 1 November 2022, and The Whispering Stones by Saviour Pirotta, published on 28 March 2020.