Carson Friedman Ellis was born on October 5, 1975, and is a distinguished Canadian-born American children's book illustrator and artist. She has earned widespread recognition for her captivating work, receiving a Caldecott Honor for her children's book Du Iz Tak? (2016). Ellis' artistry is deeply inspired by folk art, art history, and mysticism, which vividly comes through in her creations.

Ellis has authored and illustrated bestselling picture books such as Home and Du Iz Tak?, the latter not only winning a Caldecott Honor but also an E.B. White Read Aloud Award. Her portfolio also includes illustrations for a variety of children's books, including The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, The Composer Is Dead by Lemony Snicket, and The Wildwood Chronicles by Colin Meloy, her husband.

Her contributions to the visual arts have been acknowledged with silver medals by the Society of Illustrators for her work on Wildwood Imperium and Dillweed's Revenge by Florence Parry Heide. Beyond book illustration, Ellis has served as the illustrator-in-residence for the band The Decemberists, led by her husband, earning Grammy nominations in 2016 and 2018 for album art design. Additionally, she has undertaken editorial illustrations for prestigious publications like The New Yorker.

Ellis resides on a picturesque farm in Oregon with her family, where she continues to inspire through her artistic endeavors.