Growing up, Merrill Rainey spent most of his Saturday afternoons watching monster movies, drawing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and going on imaginary adventures. Today, he is a cowboy-boot-wearing, picture-book-creator, and paper-toy-maker. Merrill’s work focuses on exploring creativity and imaginative play. His most recent titles include Color, Cut, Create • Dinosaur World, and Color, Cut, Create • Horse Ranch (OddDot). Merrill is also the author and Illustrator for a new board book series with HarperCollins. The first book, Roar! I’m a Dinosaur launches June 21, 2022. The second book, Oink! I’m a Pig launches September 6, 2022. Merrill also works for many children’s magazines like Highlights, Cricket, Ranger Rick, and Humpty Dumpty. He has served on faculty at the Highlights Foundation retreat center and is currently the illustrator coordinator for the Northern Ohio chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Visit him online at littlerainey.com or follow him on instagram @littlerainey.
