Sarah

Sax

Middle Grade Author/Illustrator

Graphic Storyteller

Travels from: Portland, ME

“A truly engaging format for historical adventurers of all ages….This is ideal as a gift.” –School Library Journal

Author, illustrator, and comic artist Sarah Sax cares deeply about encouraging young readers to discover and expand their sense of creative confidence. She studied Storytelling and Sequential Imagery at Hampshire College and she’s since worked as an educator at the Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco, a volunteer with 826 Valencia, and as Creative Director at Lumosity, where she led a team of artists working with scientists and game designers to transform problem-solving and memory skills into brain-training games. All of this was the perfect creative education for the graphic novelist she has become.

She is the illustrator of the first three books (Escape This Book: Titanic; Escape this Book: Tombs of Egypt; and Escape This Book: Race to the Moon) in the inventive, interactive Escape This Book series, which has been translated into eight languages. Picture Day, her first of four graphic novels in the Brinkley Yearbook series, will be published in June 2023. She lives in Portland, Maine.

Picture Day (The Brinkley Yearbooks)

Knopf Books for Young Readers |

June 27, 2023

Middle Grade

Everyone knows the most stressful day of middle school is picture day! And that’s exactly where this yearbook-worthy graphic novel series opener begins: with reinventing yourself, drama, popularity, and the friends who see you through.

Seventh-grader Viv never looks forward to picture day. It’s just another day where she wears a boring braid and no one notices her. (Her two best friends, Milo and Al, don’t count, of course.)

But enough is enough. This year, she’s taking matters into her own hands. Literally. Viv grabs a pair of scissors, her phone for live-streaming, and, well, bye-bye braid.

Suddenly Viv is an over-night influencer at Brinkley Middle School. Everyone wants her help planning their next big moment—from haircuts, to dance proposals, activist rallies and mathlete championships. She hardly even has time for her friends anymore. It’s exactly how she dreamed of reinventing herself…right?

In the tradition of modern classics like Vera Brosgol’s Be Prepared, Svetlana Chmakova’s Awkward, and Kayla Miller’s Click, Picture Day brings answers to perennial questions of what it means to be true to yourself—and a true friend.

Female Author, Friendship & Community, Grades K-5, Graphic Novels, Kid Lit, Middle Grade

Escape This Book! Race To The Moon

Random House Books for Young Readers |

November 10, 2020

Middle Reader Book

Part activity book, part adventure novel, The Escape This Book series makes YOU the star of history! Doodle, decide, and demolish your way through the Apollo 11 Moon landing–the perfect book for fun and educational reading!

Reader beware! This book is filled with adventure that is out of this world! You will have three chances to join the space program and help the Apollo missions reach the moon!

Flight Director: You’re the boss at Mission Control! Can you make split second decisions to keep the astronauts safe on their trip to the moon?

Flight Commander: You’re the astronaut in charge on the spacecraft. You’ll face problems as big as an explosion on the ship and as small as what to eat in space!

Moon Buggy Driver: You get to explore the moon’s surface…if you can safely land on its surface first!

In the Escape This Book series, YOU are the star of history! In this third book, you’ll complete challenges similar to what the astronauts faced on Apollo 11 and 13 and get to meet famous NASA employees like Neil Armstrong and Katherine Johnson! Don’t be afraid to rip or fold a page. Your mission might depend on it!

Female Author, Grades K-5

Escape This Book! Tombs Of Egypt

Random House Books for Young Readers |

January 7, 2020

Middle Reader Book

Activity book meets adventure in this series that is Choose Your Own Adventure meets I Survived meets doodle book! Doodle, decide, and demolish your way out of history’s greatest events!

Reader, beware! Once you open this book, there is NO turning back. You will have THREE chances to escape this ancient Egyptian tomb. You must choose a path first:

Pharaoh: Want to be the top ruler of ancient Egypt? Choose this path and become one of history’s greatest pharaohs.

Pyramid worker: You’ve built some of the world’s most amazing monuments. Will that help you escape before being turned into a mummy?

Archaeologist: You make incredible discoveries, and you’re about to enter an ancient, hidden tomb . . . but can you discover a way out?

In the Escape This Book! series, YOU are the star of history! Doodle your way through adventures as you decide the best path for survival. Don’t be afraid to rip or fold a page . . . your escape may depend on it! Looking for another escape? Don’t miss Escape This Book! Titanic.

Female Author, Grades K-5

Escape This Book! Titanic

Random House Books for Young Readers |

March 19, 2019

Middle Reader Book

Activity book meets adventure in this series that is Choose Your Own Adventure meets I Survived meets doodle book! Doodle, decide, and demolish your way out of history’s greatest events!

Reader, beware! Once you open this book, there is no turning back. You will have three chances to survive the Titanic‘s fateful voyage. Decide which path to take first.

Passenger: Exploring the ship is fun! Just don’t get caught on the wrong deck when there’s an iceberg ahead!

Crew Member: You work for a family in first class. Can you persuade them to save you along with their beloved dog?

Stowaway: You snuck onto this ship. Can you draw your way onto a lifeboat?

In the Escape This Book! series, YOU are the star of history! Doodle your way through adventures as you decide the best path for survival. Don’t be afraid to rip or fold a page. . . . Your escape may depend on it!

Female Author, Grades K-5

Picture Day Book Talk

Sarah will share the story behind her debut graphic novel, Picture Day, discuss the themes in the book and the process she used to develop her storytelling voice. The presentation will include an interactive drawing element and time for an audience Q&A.

Facing the Fear of the Blank Page

Based on her own creative practices, Sarah will lead a class through a series of interactive creative exercises designed to give you a starting place when you just don’t have any “good” ideas. We will then discuss how those concepts can be applied beyond making art or telling stories. This activity is most suitable for in-classroom settings.

Making Comics Beyond the Panels

Sarah will share her comics making process and the tools she uses to build a sustainable comics and art-making career. The talk will go through some of the practical elements used to make comics (digital/physical tools, process and workflow, workspace building) to the more abstract skills that are important to a long-term career in the arts (project planning, estimation, receiving feedback, communication skills). Best suited for middle school aged audiences or older.

Creativity in Play and Practice (Professional Development)

In this workshop Sarah will lead your group through an interactive creativity expanding prompt. She will talk about her experiences and takeaways from facilitating these types of exercises in a corporate setting and will discuss the impact these practices have had on her career and the ways in which they can be broadly applied.

Escape This Book - Illustrator Talk

In this presentation, Sarah walks through the process of creating the illustrations for the Escape This Book series using visual examples from Titanic, Tombs of Egypt and Race to the Moon. This presentation covers the illustration process from initial sketch to creating the final art with an emphasis on drawing inspiration from historical sources and crating engaging art that encourages creativity and invites readers to play along.

Escape This Book Live!

In this presentation designed for groups of 25 or so, Sarah will lead the group through an interactive path from the Escape This Book series (groups can choose from either Titanic, Tombs of Egypt or Race to the Moon). She will lead groups through a series of interactive puzzles and activities while drawing live and working with participants to make an escape from a pivotal moment in history!

Coming soon!

Praise for Picture Day…”An impressively strong debut….Bold, brash, and honest.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Heartfelt interactions surrounding popularity and identity provide ample fodder for introspective discussion.” — Publishers Weekly

“For kids who enjoy realistic graphic novels about school, friendship, and discovering your true self.” — School Library Journal

“[A] heartwarming story of self-expression and being unapologetically yourself.” — Booklist

“Picture perfect.” — Terri Libenson, bestselling author of Invisible Emmie

“Picture Day is a bighearted story about showing up as yourself—and for your friends. A timely and terrific exploration of navigating both the pressures and the positives of social media and middle school.” — Megan Wagner Lloyd, author of Allergic

“Charming, inclusive, and fun. Picture Day won an instant spot on my to-recommend list.” — Hope Larson, creator of All Summer Long

“A sweet, high-energy story about finding your place in middle school, friendship drama, wacky haircuts, and some seriously cool roller skating. I’m certain this series is going to be a classic!” — Molly Knox Ostertag, creator of The Witch Boy

“A deeply charming book. This will resonate with readers who are unabashedly tied to the cadences of fandom and social media, but also respects their agency and feelings and the unique ways they navigate social dynamics today.” — Shing Yin Khor, creator of the National Book Award finalist The Legend of Auntie Po

“Picture Day will reassure readers that while figuring out who you are is complicated (and occasionally painful or embarrassing), it’s totally possible to reinvent yourself into a more authentic you. A delight!” — Molly Brooks, creator of Sanity & Tallulah

Praise For Escape This Book! Titanic…”Even the most reluctant of readers is likely to be pulled into this gamelike book as they are enticed to draw and personalize the story….A truly engaging format for historical adventurers of all ages….This is ideal as a gift.” — School Library Journal

Sarah’s Portfolio

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Volunteer with 826 Valencia
Creative Director at Lumosity

Media clips

Booklist | Shelf Care Interview: Sarah Sax

Bleeding Cool | Sarah Sax Sells The Brinkley Yearbook Graphic Novel Series at Auction

Publishers Weekly | Fall 2022 Children’s Sneak Preview

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

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Sax

Picture Day (The Brinkley Yearbooks)

Escape This Book! Race To The Moon

Escape This Book! Tombs Of Egypt

Escape This Book! Titanic

Picture Day Book Talk

Facing the Fear of the Blank Page

Making Comics Beyond the Panels

Creativity in Play and Practice (Professional Development)

Escape This Book - Illustrator Talk

Escape This Book Live!

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Media clips

Media Kit

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