John Martz is a Toronto-based author, illustrator, cartoonist, and designer.
Most of Martz's career has focused on art, designer, and illustration. From 2005 to 2013, he ran an art blog called Drawn!, then in 2015, he became the Joanne Fitzgerald illustrator-in-residence through IBBY Canada and the Toronto Public Library. Two years later, he became the art director at Tundra Books, a position he held until 2022. Martz has also contributed to The Globe and Mail, The Nib, and Mad.
Martz's first illustrated book, Dianne Young's Dear Flyary, was published with Kids Can Press in 2010. He has since worked with various authors, including Nicola Winstanley, and illustrated an adaptation of Abbott and Costello's Who's on First?. He authored his first book, The Big Team Society League Book of Answers, with Koyama Press in 2012. His other books including Destination X (2013), Machine Gum (2013), which began as an ongoing comic series, Burt's Way Home (2016), Evie and the Truth about Witches (2018), and A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories (2021).
Awards and honours Two of Martz's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Nicola Winstanley's How to Give Your Cat a Bath (2019) and Evie and the Truth About Witches (2021). In 2020, Quill & Quire named Martz's cover design of Riel Nason's The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt among the year's best book covers. +Awards for Martz's workYearWorkAwardResult2008Excelsior 1968Pigskin Peters AwardFinalist2010It's Snowing Outside, We Should Go for a WalkDoug Wright Award for Best Emerging TalentFinalist2011Heaven All DayGene Day Award for Self PublishingWinner2013Gold StarIgnatz Award for Outstanding StoryWinner2014Dear FlyarySaskEnergy Children's Literature AwardWinnerDestination XIgnatz Award for Outstanding StoryFinalist2015Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustrationFinalistEisner Award for Best Publication for Early ReadersNominee2016Be GoodIgnatz Award for Outstanding StoryFinalist2017Burt's Way HomeCartoonist Studio Prize for Best Print Comic of the YearShortlistDoug Wright Award for Best Book FinalistEisner Award for Best Publication for Early ReadersNominee2019Evie and the Truth About WitchesDoug Wright Award for Best Book FinalistHow to Give Your Cat a Bath in Five Easy StepsGovernor General's Award for English-language children's illustrationFinalist2023Burt rentre à la maisonPrix Jeunesse de la CritiqueFinalist2025Alcuin Society Award for Children's Picture BooksThirdAlcuin Society Award for Comics / Graphic NovelsFirst2026Alcuin Society Award for Children's Picture BooksFirstWords with Wings and Magic ThingsAlcuin Society Award for Children's Picture BooksHonourable mention
Books
References
External links