Hi! I’m Cory, a kidlit illustrator.
It’s been 2 years since i started my journey as a kidlit illustrator, and i’ve published 8 books since then. It was a fun journey, i get to work on several themes and it helped me developing my illustrations as time goes by.
One of the most memorable book i’ve worked on is a book titled Pangeran Katak yang Bau Ketek (The Frog Prince with Stinky Armpits). When i got the manuscript, i was mindblown. The book was written with rhymes. The story was unusual (at least in my country), and i loooove unusual things!
The Frog Prince Who Thought He Was Too Handsome to Smell
Sometimes, the most fun stories come from the most unexpected places, including a frog prince who is way too confident about himself… and completely unaware of his own body odor.
“Pangeran Katak yang Bau Ketek” is a children’s picture book that tells the story of a frog prince whose armpit smell is so strong it makes villagers faint. Unfortunately, he misunderstands the situation entirely. He believes all those animals are collapsing because they’re overwhelmed by his good looks.
The truth only comes to light when a fly finally tells him what’s really going on.
From there, the story unfolds into a hilarious journey of self-realization, palace meetings with royal advisors, and a triumphant return, only to end with a final plot twist that makes the children giggle even more.
This project marks my second collaboration with author Noor H. Dee, and once again, working with his manuscript was an absolute joy. His stories are playful, sharp, and full of comedic timing, a perfect match for my illustration style, which leans toward fun, colorful visuals with exaggerated gestures and expressive characters.
A Story That Readers Loved
Just three months after it’s release in June 2025, the book went into its second reprint, followed by a third reprint in December 2025. I was confused when my friends contacted me to ask if i had a few copies of the book on hand so they could buy them from me, because they couldn’t secure any from the stores.
In September 2025, Pangeran Katak yang Bau Ketek received the IKAPI Award from the Indonesian Publishers Association (IKAPI) as Children’s Book of the Year 2025, an achievement i’m incredibly proud to be part of. It was announced at the opening ceremony of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2025 in Jakarta. To be the successor to the previous winners of this prestigious award (Kejutan Kungkang in 2023 and Bintang dan Gerhana in 2024) was something i wouldn’t have even dared to imagine.
Seeing a humorous, silly and absurd story like this resonate so strongly with readers, kids and adults alike, was truly rewarding. I remember the moment i saw people posting videos of their children laughing over my book on instagram, i was overwhelmed with joy and started crying. I cried sooo much and i remember feeling incredibly relieved and fulfilled, and mumbling something like:
“This is why i do what i do.
This is my dream come true.
This is the highest compliment ever.
My book has served its purpose through those giggly laughs.
Now i can Die With a Smile with Bruno and Lady Gaga.“
I know. It was dramatic.
But WHAT DO YOU MEANNN those children accepted my work—that i’d worked on day and night with so much love and joy—and they’re laughing out loud reading it?? It was truly a feeling i’d never felt before and will never forget for the rest of my life.
The Illustration Process (6 Months of Fun)
The illustration process took approximately six months, and it was genuinely enjoyable from start to finish.
Rough Storyboard
It started with rough, scribbly storyboard drafts I had originally made back in 2024.
The author and i were preparing the story for a competition submission, but later my author suggested that we publish the story ourselves (or submit it to a publisher), instead of going through the competition.
I always put colors on my rough storyboard so i could see if the harmony was okay.
His reason was valid. The competition was held by the government and the book (along with another 350 shortlisted titles) would only be available digitally on the government website, while printed copies would be distributed to schools in remote areas, if i’m not mistaken. In conclusion, our book would not reach bookstores, would not be sold online, it would not be promoted anywhere and thus wouldn’t reach a wider audience.
But he wanted it to be available to everyone.
Honestly, i was so relieved. The competition only gave us one month to finish the entire book, and i loved the story a little bit too much that i don’t want to rush on the illustration process. I wanted to give my best and one month would never have been enough for me to do that. So we saved the story. I put my rough and rushed storyboard in my drawer. We decided to submit another story for the competition and it became my first published book with the author.
Character Design
At the end of 2024, my author messaged me and said that the frog prince manuscript had been approved by Noura Kids, a publisher that i respected a lot. I was delighted! The art director then contacted me and gave me a brief based on the earlier rough storyboard i had made. There were some adjustments and i needed to make a new storyboard accordingly. But before that, the art director wanted the character design first, to define the personality and visual attitude of the frog prince.
From the very first read, I could already see the frog prince in my head. I wanted him to look smug, cocky, overconfident, slightly annoying, and completely full of himself. I wanted him to make the children laugh immediately even if they couldn’t even read the text yet. A character whose face and gestures alone could make people laugh.
I made 2 options, and the art director picked the first one (my pick as well!)
When the author first saw the character design, he laughed and said,
“He looks annoying!”
Which, honestly, was the highest compliment possible for me at that time.
Storyboard
Next came a cleaner, more structured storyboard, clarifying pacing and visual storytelling. Making storyboard has always been my favorite part. Seeing those blank canvases, ready to be filled with endless possibilities and guided by the manuscript, just lights up my brain entirely.
Luckily, all pages were approved by my art director, with just very minor revisions.
Sample Spread
I was then asked to create one fully colored sample spread. And i chose to make the opening spread of the story with a flat front view.
I wanted to make the situation as calm as possible, which is why i chose a flat, front view, no fancy angle. Amidst the calm background, the villagers are fainting, while the main character jumps into the sky with a confident face and gesture. A green, smoky thing emerges from his armpits, stealing the spotlight above the calm city.
Cover
For the cover, I submitted four different sketch options for the art director to review.
This is the one he picked, and i love it. It’s dramatic, and you can see the Frog Prince’s annoying traits just from his pose and face in the cover alone. I used bold colors (red, yellow, blue) and glittery curtains with an almost symmetrical composition, giving off royal vibes to match the prince’s rich-guy-persona (he is wearing gold jewelry all over his body and a royal red cape on his shoulder, lol). The green color of the frog and his… odor, contrasts nicely with the red surrounding, making a way for him to sit in the spot light.
See that frog’s face?
It’s giving “Yeah, i got an award. Not surprising at all.”
Coloring & Finishing
From there, it was full coloring, finishing touches, and minor revisions before completion. Here are a few spreads from the finished book.
You see, in the human world, especially today, we rarely see a leader who is willing to listen to his people’s voice
and proceed to find solutions with his team and giving their maximum effort in doing so. *sigh*
I made some wallpapers and frames parade across 3 spreads, displaying the solution scenes of the prince’s problem as if they were photographs.
The first spread is blue,
to show that their meeting lasted all night as they worked to solve the problem.
The second spread is green,
to show that they were still working as dawn approached and the light began to appear.
The third spread is yellow,
to show that they worked until the sun was up and finally completed the task.
The revisions were minimal, and the collaboration with the editorial and art direction team felt smooth and supportive throughout. I wish i could fully express the love i have for this project. The script, the relationship with everyone involved, how humble and supportive the publisher’s team were, the way it was promoted, the reader’s reception…everything!
Why This Project Matters to Me
This book is a great example of what I love most about illustrating children’s books: strong writing, bold visual storytelling, and the freedom to exaggerate emotions and gestures to support the humor.
Pangeran Katak yang Bau Ketek proves that children’s books don’t have to play it safe to succeed. They can be weird, funny, and still capture young readers’ hearts. I believe humor is one of the best ways to welcome children into the magical world of books.
After the book was released, reader reactions confirmed it. People laughed out loud! The story felt fresh and unexpected, and the illustrations amplified the humor rather than just decorating the text.
I’m forever grateful to have worked with:
Noor H. Dee, the author,
whose storytelling I genuinely enjoy.
Noura Kids, the publisher,
who trusts playful visual exploration.
And everyone who read this book,
that’s willing to laugh along.
Even if it hadn’t won any awards or performed well in the market, I would still be incredibly proud of this book and always call it my favorite.
Here’s to more fun stories to make!
With love,
Cory
laboracory 