Onyinye Iwu author page

Onyinye Iwu biography

Onyinye Iwu is a children’s book illustrator, designer and lecturer. Her work focuses on the representation of people of African and Caribbean background. She is the illustrator of Walker’s Too Small Tola series, written by Atinuke.

Too Small Tola was published by Walker Books in 2020 for readers aged 6 to 8, with Atinuke as author and Onyinye Iwu as illustrator. Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls followed in 2021, again published by Walker Books for readers aged 6 to 8.

Too Small Tola was Iwu’s first book for children. She later illustrated Too Small Tola Makes It Count, book four in the Too Small Tola series by Atinuke.

Iwu illustrated My Skin, Your Skin by Laura Henry-Allain MBE, a book for children aged four and above about race and anti-racism. She also illustrated Sala, Mountain Warrior by Wakanyi Hoffman.

African Queens: Twelve Incredible Stories of Africa’s Legendary Women Leaders is Iwu’s debut picture book as an author-illustrator. Candlewick gives the publication date for African Queens as 27 October 2026.