How to Cite an Illustrated Book in APA

• Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)
• Published on 09/09/2024

Citing illustrated books in APA style involves specific rules, especially when the book has both an author and an illustrator. Whether the author and illustrator are different people, the same person, or the book is part of a series or republished edition, the citation must be handled carefully.

This guide explains how to cite illustrated books in different situations.

CITING A BOOK WITH A SEPARATE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

When a book has both an author and a separate illustrator, both must be credited in the citation. The author is listed first, followed by the year of publication, the book title in italics, and then the illustrator’s name in parentheses with “Illus.” for illustrators. The publisher’s name comes at the end.

Citation	Carroll, L. (2003). Alice’s adventures in Wonderland (R. Ingpen, Illus.). Walker Books.
Structure	Author’s Surname, Initial. (Year). Title of the book (Illustrator’s Initial. Surname, Illus.). Publisher.

If the illustrator is prominently mentioned, such as on the book’s cover, you must include their name in the reference.

CITING A BOOK WHERE THE AUTHOR IS ALSO THE ILLUSTRATOR

If the author and illustrator are the same person, you need to mention their name twice: once as the author and again as the illustrator. This acknowledges their role in both writing and illustrating the book.

Citation	Carle, E. (1994). The very hungry caterpillar (E. Carle, Illus.). Philomel Books.
Structure	Author’s Surname, Initial. (Year). Title of the book (Illustrator’s Initial. Surname, Illus.). Publisher.

Even though the same person is the author and illustrator, both roles must be recognized.

CITING A BOOK FROM A SERIES

If a book belongs to a series, you should not include the series name or the book’s number in the series unless it is part of the book’s title. Focus on citing the individual book itself.

Citation	Rowling, J. K. (1998). Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets (M. GrandPré, Illus.). Scholastic.
Structure	Author’s Surname, Initial(s). (Year). Title of the book (Illustrator’s Initial. Surname, Illus.). Publisher.

Since Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the title of the book and part of the Harry Potter series, the series name is not separately listed in the citation. 

CITING A REPUBLISHED EDITION OF A BOOK

Some classic books are republished with special editions, such as anniversary editions. When citing these books, include the year of the edition you used, followed by the original publication year in parentheses. If it’s a special edition, mention the edition after the illustrator’s name.

Citation	Wilder, L. (2004). Little house on the prairie (G. Sandell, Illus.; 70th anniversary ed.). HarperCollins. (Original work published 1935)
Structure	Author’s Surname, Initial. (Year). Title of the book (Illustrator’s Initial. Surname, Illus.; Edition Information). Publisher. (Original work published Year)

For republished works, it is important to include both the current publication date and the original year of publication. If the book is a special edition, mention the edition in the citation.

IN-TEXT CITATIONS FOR REPUBLISHED BOOKS

When referencing a republished work in-text, both the original and current publication years are included, with the years separated by a slash.

Example	(Wilder, 1935/2004)
Structure	(Author Surname, Year Published/Republished Year)

This format shows both the original and republished years in the citation.

Alphabetize by Author’s Last Name: In your reference list, always organize illustrated books alphabetically by the author’s last name. If you’re citing multiple works by the same author, arrange them by the year of publication, starting with the earliest. Capitalize Titles Correctly: When writing the title of the book, only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon or dash, and any proper nouns should be capitalized. The rest of the words should be in lowercase. Include Page Numbers for Specific Quotes: When directly quoting or paraphrasing from an illustrated book, include the page number(s) in your in-text citation. This helps readers locate the specific section or illustration in the book.  Use Italics for Book Titles: Remember to italicize the title of the book in both the reference list and in-text citations. Do not use italics for the illustrator’s name or other details in the citation. This helps distinguish the title from the rest of the citation information.