Qin Leng is a Canada-based children's book illustrator and author. She also worked creating illustrations for children's television. Her picture book illustrations have won her a Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature and Governor General's Award, among other honours.
Leng was born in Shanghai and has a twin sister. Their father is an artist. Leng later moved to France, then Montreal, where she graduated from the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. She published her first picture book in 2009. As of 2025, she was based in Toronto with her husband and son.
Awards and honours Three of Leng's books have been named Notable Children's Books by the Association for Library Service to Children: Piper Green and the Fairy Tree (2015) by Ellen Potter, Over the Shop (2021) by JonArno Lawson, and At the Window (2025) by Hope Lim.
Books Leng illustrated have frequently appeared in year-end best of lists. In 2015, Shelf Awareness named Piper Green and the Fairy Tree one of the best children's books of the year. In 2021, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books named Over the Shop one of the year's best picture books. The following year, The Bulletin and Publishers Weekly named A Day for Sandcastles won of the year's best picture books. +Awards for Leng's workYearTitleAwardResult2014Hana Hashimoto, Sixth ViolinGovernor General's Award for English-language children's illustrationFinalistMark Medley, "Governor-General Literary Awards finalists unveiled". The Globe and Mail, October 7, 2014.2014–2015Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (Picture Book)Winner2015Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature PrizeFinalistNorman, Speak!Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature PrizeFinalist2016Song for a Summer NightChristie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature PrizeFinalist2022TrèfleGovernor General's Award for French-language children's illustrationWinner2025Le tasse de GillesGovernor General's Award for French-language children's illustrationFinalist
Publications
Standalone books
Piper Green series
References