MARIS WICKS
MARIS WICKS lives in Massachusetts. She has harnessed the power of her various biological systems to draw comics for Adhouse Books, Tugboat Press, and Spongebob Comics, and has written stories for Image and DC Comics. Wicks is the illustrator of New York Times Bestselling Primates, with Jim Ottaviani. Her solo graphic novels include Human Body Theater and Science Comics: Coral Reefs. She is quite fond of being in the water, whether it’s swimming in ponds or scuba diving in the Atlantic Ocean.
PUFFINS
Roaring Book Press (April 14, 2026)
Follow a young puffling's life from hatching to adulthood and learn about the bustling and precarious world of Atlantic Puffin City in this imaginative nonfiction picture book.
On the edge of the sea,
There is a nesting island as loud as a city,
Where two puffins mate, burrow, and lay their egg.
They splash into the ocean
And dodge nearby predators,
Searching everywhere to find food for their hungry puffling.
Follow one adorable Puffling as she eats, grows, and learns how to survive on her busy, bustling island in this thrilling and action-packed nonfiction tale.
You and the Bowerbird
Roaring Brook Press (August 15, 2023)
Follow the Satin Bowerbird as he searches for the perfect welcome mat for his new home, in this delightfully colorful and action-packed nonfiction tale by award winning author Maria Gianferrari, and illustrated by comic-star Maris Wicks.
Just on the edge of the rainforest,
Between your house and the trees,
Bowerbirds collect, pillage, and steal!
They swoop through the air,
And creep around the forest floor,
Searching for pretty objects everywhere…
PRAISE FOR You and the Bowerbird
Named a Best Picture Book of the Year by Kirkus
Listed on 2023 Great Books for Kids List from Evanston Public Library
Named a Bank Street's 2024 Best Book of the Year
"Delightful, tongue in cheek, and compellingly romantic." —Kirkus starred review
"A supremely entertaining introduction to an irrepressible animal." —Booklist, starred review
"A lovely amalgam of science and play; with careful maps of the action, this makes the world of birding thrilling." —School Library Journal, starred review
"Comical cartoons and an enthusiastic documentary voice make for a splendid and informative read-aloud." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
DRAGON BONES
Roaring Brook Press (February 15, 2022)
Dragon Bones is a picture book biography of fossil-hunter Mary Anning, who discovered a dinosaur skeleton that changed the landscape of paleontology.
At home in her seaside town in England, little Mary Anning stared out her window. Unlike other children, Mary couldn't wait for a rainy day. Because when it rained... the bones were revealed.
With her father and brother, Mary would go out searching the damp soil after a storm, with the hopes of finding something nobody had seen before: a dinosaur.
After her father dies, Mary must continue her search, picking up his tools and venturing out alone. In her life, she discovered several creatures, but was never given credit...until recently.
This eye-opening biography of the legendary Mary Anning, illustrated by Maris Wicks, shatters expectations and brings together two creators who are as passionate about their subject as they are about their art. Inspiring, this true adventure begs for re-reads.
PRAISE FOR DRAGON BONES
Listed on 2022 Great Books for Kids List from Evanston Public Library!
"A lively portrayal of an outstanding 19th-century woman and her contributions to the study of paleontology." —Kirkus
"Add this to any biography collection, especially those looking to highlight more female scientists." —School Library Journal
"Marsh’s mainly upbeat, child-centered text is complemented by Wicks’s comic illustration style. Bold pencil outlines and vibrant, digitally colored hues almost pop off the page." —Horn Book
"Particularly attuned to preschool and primary audiences...the interplay between the solidity of Mary and her discoveries and the wispy white outlines of her realistic and fantastical imaginings opens a window into a period when even renowned naturalists pontificated from speculation more often than settled knowledge." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (BCCB)
"Whether shown courageously clambering on cliffs near her home and imagining the marvels hidden in them or expertly dissecting a fish as part of her studies, Anning...offer[s] a compelling example of science at work." —Booklist
ASTRONAUTS
WOMEN ON THE FINAL FRONTIER
First Second - February 4, 2020
In the graphic novel Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier, Jim Ottaviani and illustrator Maris Wicks capture the great humor and incredible drive of Mary Cleave, Valentina Tereshkova, and the first women in space.
The U.S. may have put the first man on the moon, but it was the Soviet space program that made Valentina Tereshkova the first woman in space. It took years to catch up, but soon NASA’s first female astronauts were racing past milestones of their own. The trail-blazing women of Group 9, NASA’s first mixed gender class, had the challenging task of convincing the powers that be that a woman’s place is in space, but they discovered that NASA had plenty to learn about how to make space travel possible for everyone.
praise for astronauts
An Amazon Best Nonfiction Children's Book of 2020 So Far
“Exhilarating—as well as hilarious, enraging, or both at once depending on the reader.”—Kirkus, starred review
“[Astronauts] examines the hurdles, triumphs, politics, and prejudices surrounding the first women astronauts… Wicks and Ottaviani skillfully capture Cleave’s infectious enthusiasm up to the last page.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Gobs of humor, lively artwork, and tidy explanations of the science make this a standout among the vast field of books about the U.S. space program." ―Booklist, starred review
"With plenty of eye-rolling takes on male-designed spacecraft faux pas and enthusiastic crew reveling in flight adventures, Ottaviani and Wicks drive home the message that it’s all about teamwork, and no team can function without diverse members."―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“Though the book includes details that make the subject accessible (one scene discusses the number of tampons needed by female astronauts), technical complexity is never oversimplified. Readers will be intrigued and inspired to dive into further research to understand some of the jargon and learn more about the women profiled here.”―School Library Journal, starred review
"A well-researched and lively text and tidily composed yet expressive illustrations capture the women’s passion, ambition, and know-how―and their indignation and fury at the sexism they faced. Inspirational and funny (‘That was Sally’s ride’) and full of nitty-gritty scientific details about astronaut training and life and work abroad a space shuttle, the book illuminates the women’s tough journey to prove that ‘space is for everyone.’"―Horn Book, starred review
CORAL REEFS
First Second – March 29, 2016
Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic—dinosaurs, coral reefs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, flying machines, and more. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. Whether you’re a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you!
This volume: in Coral Reefs, we learn all about these tiny, adorable sea animals! This absorbing look at ocean science covers the biology of coral reefs as well as their ecological importance. Nonfiction comics genius Maris Wicks brings to bear her signature combination of hardcore cuteness and
in-depth science.
Praise for CORAL REEFS
“Author and illustrator Wicks’s experience shines through with accurate facts and appealing, colorful drawings.”—School Library Journal
“Like having a Time Life Science Library in comic books. Which is awesome!“—Popular Science
HUMAN BODY THEATER
First Second – October 6, 2015
Welcome to the Human Body Theater, where your master of ceremonies is going to lead you through a theatrical revue of each and every biological system of the human body! Starting out as a skeleton, the MC puts on a new layer of her costume (her body) with each “act.” By turns goofy and intensely informative, the Human Body Theater is always accessible and always entertaining.
Maris Wicks is a biology nerd, and by the time you’ve read this book, you will be too! Harnessing her passion for science (and her background as a science educator for elementary and middle-school students), she has created a comics-format introduction to the human body that will make an expert of any reader — young or old!
Praise for HUMAN BODY THEATER
“Brilliant adjunct reading for biology students and the terminally curious.”―Publishers Weekly
“A delightful and enlightening addition to nonfiction graphic novel collections.”―School Library Journal, starred review
“This informative, frank exploration of the body perfectly balances science and silliness.”―Booklist, starred review
“This anatomical extravaganza really gets to the heart of the matter. Not to mention the guts, nerves, veins, bones…”―Kirkus Reviews
PRIMATES
The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas
First Second – June 11, 2013
Jim Ottaviani returns with an action-packed account of the three greatest primatologists of the last century: Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas. These three ground-breaking researchers were all students of the great Louis Leakey, and each made profound contributions to primatology—and to our own understanding of ourselves.
Tackling Goodall, Fossey, and Galdikas in turn, and covering the highlights of their respective careers, Primates is an accessible, entertaining, and informative look at the field of primatology and at the lives of three of the most remarkable women scientists of the twentieth century. Thanks to the charming and inviting illustrations by Maris Wicks, this is a nonfiction graphic novel with broad appeal.
Praise for PRIMATES
New York Times Bestseller
“An accessible introduction to Goodall’s, Fossey’s and Galdikas’ lives and work.“—Kirkus Reviews
“A graphic format admirably propels this lightly fictionalized group biography.“—The Horn Book
“Presented as dedicated, iconoclastic, and profoundly in awe of the creatures around them, Goodall, Fossey, and Galdikas are inspiring figures, and Ottaviani does a first-rate job of dangling enough tantalizing tidbits to pique readers’ interest in the topic.“—Booklist
“The story of how each of these women loved primates and lived among them to study their behavior is compelling, and might inspire a whole new generation of scientists to follow in their footsteps.“—School Library Journal
“This is an inviting introduction that will undoubtedly lure many readers into further investigation of this groundbreaking fieldwork.“—BCCB
“Wicks’s cartoony illustrations are a great match for the story; they never get bogged down with unnecessary details and briskly move forward the account of the women and their subjects. A riveting, jargon-free overview of one of the great stories of animal research.”—Publishers Weekly
YES, LET'S
Tanglewood Press – April 9, 2013
Let’s get into the station wagon, roll those windows down,
Let’s sing out loud and wave to cows as we drive out of town.
Let’s park the car beneath the trees and trade our shoes for boots,
Let’s set the timer, all say “Cheese!” then head into the woods.
In this cute book about a family’s camping trip, the simple, rhyming text is enhanced by comical illustrations that bring wit and energy to every page. Packaged in a smaller size for little hands and easy to pack up, this book would be a perfect read-aloud during the car ride, along with a great way to recap a trip at the end. The illustrations inside the front cover serve as a reminder of things to pack, and the story inspires activities to plan. There is even a space in the back to paste a picture of the reader’s own family trip. This little book serves as a loving tribute to family togetherness.
Praise for YES, LET’S
2013 ABC Best Books for Children Catalog Selection
“Wicks’s clean-lined cartooning greatly expands on Longstreth’s understated but evocative verse, filling the pages with visual mini-narratives, dashes of humor, and details to pore over, all while capturing the cheerful chaos of a big, happy family.“—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Longstreth and Wicks have created an Everyfamily that most readers will be able to identify with…Wicks’ illustrations are standouts…Ready the backpacks—this is sure to inspire many a family.“—Kirkus Reviews