Her cover artwork appeared on a number of 20th Century novels, many of which were the inspiration for myriad TV after-school specials in the United States and Canada, notably Bridge to Terabithia, and Beat the Turtle Drum, among others.
[2][3] Donna Diamond is recognized as the front cover illustrator of a number of contemporary classic children's books, mostly in the coming-of-age and fantasy genres and targeted towards middle-grade audiences.
Such titles include, but are not limited to, Beat the Turtle Drum, Bridge to Terabithia, The Day of the Unicorn, The Great Gilly Hopkins, Jacob Have I Loved, Molly and the Sword, Walter: the Story of A Rat, The Magic Menorah: A Modern Chanukah Tale, and Riches.
Bridge to Terabithia, which was adapted into a 1985 made-for-TV movie and later a 2007 Disney feature film, is considered by collectors to be a valuable first edition, with Diamond's cover art portraying main characters Jess and Leslie chatting together over a mint-green coloured background.
In 2010, Diamond completed a suite of seventeen paintings that work sequentially to express a psychological drama, intended more for an adult audience.