Mercè Galí

Mercè Galí grew up surrounded by books in her family’s bookshop in Barcelona’s Gràcia neighbourhood – a milieu that profoundly shaped her artistic and literary sensibility. She studied at the La Llotja School of Arts and Crafts and earned a fine arts degree from the University of Barcelona, where she specialised in printmaking.

With a well-established career in illustrating children’s and young adult literature, she has worked with both domestic and international publishers and has illustrated more than 50 books. Her work also includes poetry collections by authors such as Joan Brossa, Maria-Mercè Marçal, Enric Casasses, Miquel Desclot, Joana Raspall, Lola Casas and Salvador Comelles.

• She won the 2022 Junceda Prize for Best Illustrated Album for Jo soc l’altre (I Am the Other One) (Litera Libros).
• She was shortlisted for the 2025 World Illustration Awards with Dieci teste, nove cappelli (Kite Edizioni).
• She was a finalist in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition (BCBF) in 2022 and 2025.
• Her books Els meus primers haikus (My First Haikus) (El Cep i la Nansa) and Il piccolo indiano (Kite Edizioni) were selected for Best Toddler Books 2019 and the Silent Book Contest 2019, respectively.
• She was also chosen for the 2024 BolognaRagazzi Award (BRAW) with Prohibido decir caca (Forbidden to Say Poop) (Muñeca de Trapo).
• Her work was featured in the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava in both 2013 and 2023.
• She appeared in the 2022 edition of The White Ravens catalogue with Mira (with Tina Vallès, Animallibres).
• She received an International Latino Book Award in 2022 for Peque i jo (Little One and I) (NubeOcho).

She has actively participated in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and has represented Catalonia in prestigious international exhibitions and events.