Susan Avishai, a Newton, Mass., mother of three, is an illustrator, an artist and an aspiring novelist. Her book illustrations often show children who are confronting such difficult issues as homelessness, illness, death and the imprisonment of a parent.

Her work includes the "Our Whole Lives" sexuality curriculum for the Unitarian Universalist Association and a collection of pencil portraits of Newton neighbors, including the mayor and musicians, firefighters, teachers and shopkeepers, shown at the Newton Free Library. Avishai's work is also exhibited at the Lyman-Eyer Gallery in Newton. You can view more of Ms. Avishai's work at her web site.