Amber Akin

Amber Akin is a cartoonist, illustrator, and educator from the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, whose passion for sequential art dates back to the first grade — when she self-published a comic about a talking penguin via the school library’s photocopy machine. That early instinct for visual storytelling never left her, and she has since built a career at the intersection of art, education, and kidlit illustration.

Working primarily in Photoshop, Procreate, Illustrator, and Clip Studio, Akin brings a warm, expressive style to her work — one that leans into the magical, the adorable, and the hopeful. Her influences include cartooning legends Charles Schulz and Hergé, whose clear-line approaches to character and emotion are evident in her own work.

Her debut graphic novel, Penny and the Yeti, written by Jimmy Gaspero and published by Papercutz in April 2026, showcases her ability to balance emotional depth with all-ages accessibility. The book follows a young girl navigating family conflict through the lens of an unlikely friendship with a real-life Yeti — a story Akin approached with both creative freedom and remarkable sensitivity. Alongside her illustration work, she continues to teach, bringing the same warmth and curiosity to her students that defines her art.