As an illustrator, she was "best known for her warm, humorous tales with a kid-centered point of view, and her equally distinctive gouache and pen-and-ink artwork.
[1][2] Early in her time in New York, she took a course about writing and illustrating children's books from the School for Visual Arts, which led to her first publication in 1982, Bea and Mrs.
[6] In 2006, Schwartz's booksellers selected Bea and Mr. Jones for the "Happiest to See Back in Print" Cuffies Award.
[8] Three of Schwartz's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Starring Miss Darlene (2007),[9] Tiny & Hercules (2009),[10] and 13 Stories About Harris (2020).
"[12] Polka Dots for Poppy was named a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year.