Although “Look Both Ways” is a cautionary tale about crossing the street, the book by Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander could also be a bedtime story. So, when Portsmouth resident Teri Weidner illustrated it, she didn’t want to give children nightmares.   

There is, however, a sense of impending danger, like oncoming traffic, in her work. The drawings keep the pages turning with their movement, presenting different views and angles, and precarious elements that spill outside the frame and onto the white pages.   

Weidner drew sweet little squirrels and dressed them in 1940s-era clothing so children don’t confuse the characters with any real animals they see on the side of the road.

“We all sort of want to be the dark, mysterious illustrator type,” she said. “But every time I sit down, I draw these cute bunnies and bears.”

Portsmouth’s Kennedy Gallery is showing children’s book illustrations by Weidner of Portsmouth and other local artists David McPhail, Robert Squier, Gina Perry and Tess Feltes during the month of May. The show, which opened in conjunction with the city’s monthly Art ’Round Town event, added RiverRun Bookstore to the list of attractions. Fans who purchased books were able to get them signed by the illustrators on the night of the exhibit’s opening reception.

Dark illustrator type could describe Squier, whose work is marked by mischievousness. He describes many of his drawings as scary but funny. He was first inspired by “Where the Wild Things Are,” by Maurice Sendak, a nighttime rumpus of claw and fang.

Dinosaurs are among Squier’s favorite wild things. “The dinosaurs are all true to life. I study them. I have books,” he said. “But I’m not a paleontologist. I don’t go on digs.” He’s actually a graphic designer.

Squier says he tends to talk awkwardly to children like small adults, and his goal is not to impart wisdom. But, he said, there is no point in writing a story without a moral. The moral of his recently finished story is: “You might be a little strange or different, and that’s OK. There will be people that don’t get you or accept you, but there will be people that do.”  

Though the illustrators with works on display this month have different styles, they share the challenge of trying to communicate with pictures. Several of them are part of a group that meets regularly to critique each other’s work and share ideas. It’s called the Portsmouth Illustrators Secret Society, and yes, they use the acronym PISS.

An art show is a novelty for an illustrator, Squier said. He generally amasses tall stacks of drawings for an assignment, then puts them away in a box once he’s finished.

This is the first exhibit for Perry, of North Hampton. Her drawing is heavily stylized with flat cartoon and cartoon-like shapes. They are fun images that she says pop into her mind. Her image for this spring is called “Nerd Bird,” a big-headed blue bird with thick, black glasses and a cape. “I’m secretly still a child,” she said. “It’s what appeals to me and where my heart’s at.”

Feltes, of Portsmouth, draws more realistic animal and natural science illustrations. The wild or farm animals she portrays are not just lifelike but full of life. Her client list includes the U.S. Office of Endangered Species and the Audubon Society of New Hampshire.

McPhail published his first children’s book more than 35 years ago and has now written and/or illustrated more than 50 books. Many of his illustrations take place at night and have a shadowy appearance and dreamlike quality. In his biography, the resident of Newburyport, Mass., says his drawings come before he finds the words to accompany them.

Kennedy Gallery & Custom Framing is at 41 Market Street, Portsmouth, 603-436-7007.