Mary Claire Cruz, Senior Art Director

As an art director, Mary Claire (they/them) oversees the design team’s work for Penguin Workshop’s middle grade, young adult, and graphic novel titles as well as Penguin Young Readers’ licensed publishing program. Reviewing all titles in these categories for a strong visual identity and narrative, quality control, and format necessities—Mary Claire makes sure their team is creating the best possible product. Additionally, Mary Claire designs books for Pre-K through young adult readers with a focus on picture books, novels, and graphic novels. Their books have garnered awards such as the Caldecott Honor, the Printz Award, the Schneider Family Book Award, the Eisner Award, and more. Several of Mary Claire’s titles have hit the New York Times bestseller list and many have received starred reviews. Past roles at Scholastic, Disney, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt have shaped Mary Claire into a jack-of-all trades art director with an eye for the marketplace.