Beryl Ho is a Haarlem-based writer and illustrator, born and raised in this Dutch city near Amsterdam. With roots in China, Indonesia and Suriname, and shaped by life in the Netherlands, I create playful, vibrant, character-driven work for children’s books and storytelling. I love drawing children, quirky animals and expressive, slightly silly characters, often centring underrepresented communities. My work explores recognition, empathy and representation, with a warm visual voice that invites children and adults to see themselves and others more clearly.I studied Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam, took several illustration courses, and graduated from the Visual Storytelling programme at Venster Academy, where I deepened my skills in character design, visual narrative and storytelling. I’ve worked professionally as an illustrator for several years alongside an ongoing career in communication. In 2024, my first children’s book, Wie Wat Worm?, was published by ROSE stories, and my work was also exhibited at the Dutch Children’s Book Museum through Venster’s programme. I work with pencil sketches refined digitally in Procreate or Affinity Designer, and I bring a structured, reliable workflow, clear communication and strong visual storytelling to every project.I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, and as a child I loved studying the illustrations in children’s books: how characters were built, how emotion was shown, and how tiny visual details could tell a story. Today I’m inspired by the people in my life, the wider world, and the small everyday moments that often spark the best ideas. I’m someone who enjoys a good latte macchiato, chocolate, long walks, and staying close to people through dinners, coffee dates or a simple online chat. I hope my work gives people a spark of joy and encourages a little more kindness, appreciation and understanding.